


Tightrope

by zephyr_iphis



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Nuzlocke Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2019-09-04 23:24:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 50,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16799128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephyr_iphis/pseuds/zephyr_iphis
Summary: Aisling is a country girl trying on a new persona as she moves closer to bright, sparkling civilization and takes part in an exclusive pokemon training program run by the illustrious Sycamore Labs. Impressing the professor enough to get into the even more exclusive mega evolution program and winning all eight Kalos badges is a tall order, but Luck has always been Aisling's lady.With high school over, Xoana is floundering in a pool of her own abandoned interests and aborted hobbies. So she follows her friends as they pursue their dreams, hoping for a change, inspiration, and maybe just a bit of adventure. But Aisling’s brand might be a tad more than she bargained for. These days she doesn’t know whether to be excited or tired and which is the more dangerous.The story alternates between the perspectives of the two central protagonists, Aisling (the player character) and Xoana (the Shauna stand in).Tightropeis a story about luck, balance, extremes, and the masks we wear for the various people in our lives. It's based on a fairly standard nuzlocke of Y (with a few extra rules to up the difficulty) but some wacky shit went down, inspiring the run you see before you.





	1. Life Is Just A Play With No Rehearsal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet our characters and they meet each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They could hardly wait until they got back to the privacy of Serena’s room to snoop. Their own kits lay discarded on the bed to be opened later, because the identity of the final member of their program was far more interesting. The lab assistant who delivered their gear hadn’t known anything, but the packages they had to distribute were of course addressed to their recipients, and that was something to go on.

Xoana was surprised to find an address just down the lane from hers in Bourg Croquis, no doubt belonging to the new neighbors her mother had mentioned, and she suddenly wished she hadn’t volunteered to go with Serena to the pick-up two towns away. Teasingly, the name on the package kindled a faint flicker of recognition in the back of Xoana’s mind, and she rolled the Q around in her head to try and stoke it to life. It wasn’t a common name, at least not in this region, yet she’d heard it before. An old classmate? An acquaintance?

“A Rhyhorn rider!” Serena declared, beaming at her phone and her own cleverness. She read off her screen. “Grace Emer Quinn, born in Éire but a naturalized citizen of Kalos, holds the current world record for both time and obstacles cleared in a Rhyhorn race. Mme Quinn and her partner Rhyhorn, Morrigan, set the record at the twentieth bi-annual world championships. We watched that as kids, remember?”

It was always easy to find her on the track, emblazoned in bright red and charging recklessly ahead of the pack. Maybe that was why everyone was so taken with her. Xoana and Serena were far from the only ones who had cheered for her against their home region. In fact, she seemed to recall the whole viewing party, aside from her stubbornly loyal stepfather, had worn something red the day of the championship race. Serena had helped tie crimson ribbons in Xoana’s hair and pilfered a scarlet scarf from her mother’s closet for herself. Xoana’s mother had let them drag a blanket onto the floor so that the adults could occupy the surrounding couches and chairs. Xoana had watched the screen on her stomach, pillow squeezed tight in her arms and legs waving behind her.

Or perhaps it had been that force of personality which took the racing world by storm. She had always given interviews in the language of the region hosting despite all the extra effort because she hadn’t wanted anyone to speak for her. Xoana remembered the surety behind her words despite the reaching, the expressiveness despite her limitations, the hearty laugh over her own stumbling that was her trademark. And who could forget that shock of glowing red curls? Xoana had never seen hair like hers on TV before. Then there was that dense smattering of freckles and big, brilliant smile. Maybe Xoana had kept a picture. It was so long ago that she couldn’t quite recall.

But Xoana did remember how her heart had drummed every time she watched her. Kalos had never been so invested in Rhyhorn racing before or since. For a moment it had been almost as big as battling.

“So you think it’s her daughter?”

“Says here she has a daughter our age. And it would explain that Rhyhorn you mentioned.”

That was a good explanation. Rhyhorn weren’t really pets after all.

“Maybe it is her.”

… 

“Look alive, Rough Rider!” Cináed tweeted at the top of his damn voice. Aisling groaned and pulled the sheets over her head before he could blast her with the full force of dawn. 

There was a soft thump as he dropped from the string of the shade to the windowsill, then a series of softer ones as he hopped his way from her knees to her shoulder. The tapestry above her bed flapped in the sudden gust as he tried to wrest the covers from her iron grip.

“Come on, Aisling!” he whined.

She pretended to be dead.

He fluttered over to her pillow and tunneled into her hair. “Nice nest you have here.” He shuffled his feathers—settling in. “Think I’ll take it.”

“Be my guest.”

“Sure is warm in here,” he chirped pleasantly, snuggling closer to her scalp. It was gonna take a lot more than his scorching chest to get her up. “Do you smell something _burning_?”

Aisling leapt out of bed right onto her feet. “I’m up!”

A smug twittering drifted from her hair and she stumbled, grumbling, into her bathroom. Cináed poked his bright red head out over her brow and she grudgingly offered him the middle finger, which the Fletchling used to pull himself free.

She turned on the tap and splashed water over her face. Cináed beat a hasty retreat to the towel rack.

“You told me to get you up this morning!” he complained.

She scowled at his reflection. “It’s 6AM!”

He waved his wings in his best approximation of air quotes. “Don’t let me sleep in, Cináed! I need the extra time to get ready!”

“Fuck, that’s today!”

Aisling tripped out of her pajamas and Cináed slipped out the door to avoid the steam. The Fletching stayed close, though, and whistled an old gaelic ballad through the crack as she washed and rinsed and toweled off. As always, he came back in for the hairdryer and she shot him up to the ceiling a few times. 

He perched on her bedpost while she threw half her wardrobe across the mattress, trying to get her outfit right. _Yes, the jacket is absolutely a power move. Eh, I think we can do better than that skirt. Absolutely wear the boots!_

Once she had the clothes, makeup was simple: gold eyeliner, some glitter on her cheekbones, and lip color to match her belt. She bound her hair back with the strongest tie that money could buy, smoothed the front and teased the back.

“How do I look?”

“Ready to cut ’em up!” Cináed chirped, flashing his white wingtips for emphasis.

Aisling grinned but something anchored her feet to the floor. She felt the weight of keen, black eyes watching her.

“Maybe I should come along,” Cináed offered. “I can scope out this starter pokemon for you.”

“Naw.” She waved him off, going for her clutch.

“Then at least take a few feathers!”

He swooped over to her vanity and snatched some of his shed feathers out of the tiny vase she kept them in. She held still as he landed on her head and poked them through her hair tie one by one, five in all. She watched his tail bob in the mirror and he caught sight of her face when he turned.

“They’re good luck!” he chirped before jumping ship.

“I make my own luck,” she reminded him, but her first smile of the day crept across her face as she checked his handiwork. Satisfied, she sprung out the door. “See you later Cináed!”

A scone from mam and a sleepy chuff from Raleigh, still resting in his sand bed, sent her off.

… 

The morning was ever so slightly chill and Xoana hugged her warm cup of tea to her chest while she waited for the sun to warm the café patio where the group had gathered. Serena and Tracie nursed their coffees while Tierney finished off her pastry. They had pushed two of the little round tables together and left one seat open for the final member, who had yet to arrive. Xoana’s mother had confirmed via text that the new neighbors were indeed Grace Quinn and her daughter. Everything was squared away and Xoana let things fall quiet.

Tracie’s Pikachu grew bored and tapped her on the arm. Tracie pulled an old, handheld console out of her backpack and set up the kickstand case so Spark could play next to her on the table. 

Tierney’s Hawlucha shuffled her wings before spreading them back out to sun some more. Tierney rolled the case of pokeballs idly back and forth on the table in a rhythmic drone.

The sound of bootheels on the cobblestones pulled Xoana out of her stupor. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but the young woman that approached them still caught her off guard. For one, Xoana had probably expected someone pale and firey like Grace. Instead she was dark with kinky hair bound tightly back and adorned with Fletching feathers. A little closer, she was almost more freckle than person and the clicking heels belonged to a pair of embroidered riding boots, which fit the picture of famous-Rhyhorn-jockey’s-daughter a little better. The leather jacket she had on emphasized her already broad shoulders and the well-fitted, indigo jeans drew attention to other assets Xoana probably shouldn’t be taking note of.

“Best behavior,” said Serena, which felt very pointed even though it wasn’t.

“Bonjour!” she called out to them.

“Bonjour!” they all answered, standing to greet her.

“You must be Aisling,” Serena continued, offering her hand. “I’m Serena Pascal. It’s lovely to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Aisling purred, taking her hand. 

The greeting lingered a little before she turned to Xoana, smiling even more broadly if possible. Her mouth was a bit large for her face, but in a nice way, and Xoana made a mental note to ask where she got that shade of purple lip color.

“Xoana Bellamy,” she said before Serena could do it for her. “Great to meet you.”

“Likewise.” It was nice to have someone sound like they meant it. 

“We’re actually neighbors. I live in Bourg Croquis too.”

“Really? Maybe you could show me around sometime?”

“Of course!”

Aisling didn’t shift her gaze but thankfully Tierney stepped in to rescue Xoana’s heartbeat from its precipitous climb.

“Tierney Fitzroy.”

Aisling matched her hearty shake with ease. “You got folks in Éire too?”

“Yeah, my father’s family. Éire and Galar.”

Aisling dropped from her light, south Kalos accent into a heavy Éirinn brogue. “The traitors!”

That made Tierney laugh and Aisling moved on to the final member of their group.

“Tracie Chastain,” she said stiffly. Predictably she couldn’t meet Aisling’s eyes, but she did manage a greeting and brief handshake.

“Nice to meet you, Tracie.” If Aisling was off-put or offended by Tracie’s curtness, she didn’t show it. “What’s your Pikachu playing?”

“Dirby and the Crystal Shards.”

“Classic.” 

Tierney’s Hawlucha shuffled over and Aisling greeted her as well.

“That’s Valériane,” Tierney explained. “She’s my starter.” Aisling offered her hand, which the Hawlucha patted awkwardly with her claws before waddling over to Tierney’s side. “And Spark is Tracie’s starter.” Tierney tapped the cylindrical case on the table in front of her. “You three get to pick one from Professor Sycamore.”

“But before we do,” said Serena, polite but officious as usual, “there are a few things we should go over. Do you have your trainer license?”

“Just got it yesterday!” Aisling whipped it out of her pocket to show before setting into the chair set aside for her between Xoana and Serena.

“Good. Tracie?”

Tracie already had her backpack in her lap and was pulling things out of it. She slid Aisling’s pokedex, holocaster, and provisional pokemon science licence across the table. Aisling took them wordlessly, practically radiating excitement as Tracie caught her up to speed. She registered, transferred her data and added them all to her contacts.

“Excellent,” said Serena. “Now that that’s sorted, we had a bit of a proposition for you.”

“Oh?” Aisling asked, perking back up.

Xoana spoke first this time. She could feel Serena about to be blunt instead of easing into it as Xoana had suggested. “Well, we thought—since we’re all in the same program—it might be fun to travel all together, as a group.”

“Oh,” said Aisling carefully, “did you all have a chance to meet up earlier?”

“We knew each other before we got into the program,” Serena jumped in.

Xoana could smack her.

“We all went to school together right here in Quarellis!” Tierney added cheerfully.

“ _Oh_.” For the first time Aisling’s face closed and her posture stiffened.

This was exactly what Xoana had wanted to avoid. She swooped back in, leaning a bit over the table to get Aisling’s attention and smiling as bright and friendly as she could while also wanting to strangle her friends just a little.

“So we all get along and thought ‘the more the merrier’ you know?”

“We won’t all be working on the same projects of course,” said Serena, “but we all need to travel around to earn badges and so forth. It might be safer and more expedient to do so in a group.”

“No pressure to accept, obviously,” Xoana added, “but we would really love to have you.”

There was a pause while they all waited for an answer. Xoana could feel her face straining.

“That… sounds great!” Aisling declared, smiling again. “You seem like a good bunch. I’m so happy to have friends up north.”

Xoana stifled a sigh of relief. “That’s great! I’m so excited! This is going to be so much fun!”

“We were really hoping you’d be down for it,” said Tierney.

“Fun fact about me,” said Aisling with another big grin, “I’m down for most things.”

“Good to know!”

“Maybe we should do some icebreakers!” Xoana said. She was back in her element now. “How about we name our goals for the program and a hobby?” She paused, but she couldn’t exactly take that back. “I want to be a pokemon professional of some kind, but I’m not sure about my field. I volunteered at the Center in town and now I’m gonna use this year to look at training and research. Oh, and I like to make accessories and stuff in my spare time.”

“Did you make that bracelet you’re wearing?”

“Yeah!” She fiddled with it. “And the hair ties.”

Aisling surveyed them. “You’re good. They’re cute as anything.”

“Thanks!” She had to elbow Tierney so Aisling would stop looking at her.

Tierney talked about her dance moves project, which Aisling thought was a cool way to combine her passions. Tracie had to be prompted again, but Aisling saw to it this time. She even got Tracie rattling on about fossils until she abruptly clammed up, which meant she had gone back to counting her words. Aisling gave no signal of discomfort and that was as good a sign as any that this might turn out well. 

“My goal is to be a professional trainer like my mother,” said Serena. “I hope to do well enough to be considered for Prof. Sycamore’s mega evolution project.” It was amazing how she just _did_ that. Xoana would never be over it. 

“And I like running,” she tacked on awkwardly. At least Xoana had _something_ she lacked.

“I hear that helps clear your mind. A bit like riding that way.” It was impressive how she managed to make a connection with all of them right away, whether it was simple appreciation or common ground. “Anyway, my mom’s a big Rhyhorn rider and I’m going to get even more famous for battling. So I’m aiming to slide over into the mega evo project too. As for hobbies, I’ve done all sorts of things and I’m always in the market for a new pastime.”

Serena was measuring Aisling with her eyes, which was not a good sign.

“Since we’re all friends now,” Xoana began pointedly, “why don’t we come up with some nicknames for each other?”

“I like it!” Aisling nodded in approval.

“How about Ash?” Tierney suggested.

“Not bad, but I think I’d prefer to be addressed as _My Queen_.”

“My _Queen_?” Serena demanded, incredulous.

“Exactly,” Aisling confirmed, as if Serena had trouble understanding rather than believing. “Or perhaps Your Majesty, if you prefer.” Then she smirked.

Xoana couldn’t remember the last time someone doubled down after Serena challenged them like that. And neither could Serena if the way she pulled back and blinked was anything to go by. Serena’s tongue moved in her mouth, trying to work out a response, and Xoana scrambled to think of something to head her off.

“If you’re Queen, can I be Baronne?” They all looked at Tracie, surprised that she was following the conversation.

“But of course!” said Aisling magnanimously. “All of you are welcome to be nobles in my court.”

“Nice!” said Tierney, once again before Serena had time to process. “I’m feeling Vicomtesse for me. Has a nice ring to it.”

“An excellent choice,” Aisling declared.

“Hmm, I’m thinking Marquise,” Xoana threw in to keep the momentum.

“ _Perfect_.”

“Are we really doing this?” Serena demanded, set back in her chair with her arms crossed.

Xoana smiled. She couldn’t help it. Even with Serena glaring at the both of them, she couldn’t keep it in.

“Aw, come on!” chimed Tierney good-naturedly. “It’ll be fun!”

“Yeah, Ser,” Xoana piled on.

Serena looked to Tracie, but she was researching something on her pokedex and predictably failed to notice the call for backup. Alone, tacit refusal was Serena’s only polite recourse. “I can’t think of one.” Can’t think of a rank higher than queen, more like.

Aisling tapped her lip a few times, looking Serena in the eyes, then pointed at her with a flick of her wrist.

“You seem like a Comtesse to me.” She didn’t wait for a response. “Alright, nicknames assigned! Let’s see these starter pokemon!”

Tierney leaned over and placed the case in the middle of the table before opening it, revealing three pokeballs.

“Before I let them out, who’s picking first?”

Xoana watched Serena squirm for a moment. She so obviously wanted first pick but she couldn’t be the one to suggest it. But they had both agreed to let Aisling pick first before she arrived, so Xoana elected to ignore this new development.

“Well if you’re Queen, maybe you should pick first, Aisling.”

“Makes sense,” Tracie agreed, failing to look up from her pokedex.

A muscle in Serena’s forehead twitched.

“Alright then. Let’s do it!”

Three small pokemon emerged in a flash of red light. The first was a Fennekin, who looked around at the assembled and scratched one of her enormous ears. The second was a Chespin who peeked at them before staring down at the table and nervously clasping her forepaws. The last was a Froakie, who glanced placidly around and smiled before using his tongue to clear one of his eyes. They were all _so fucking cute_. Xoana couldn’t decide which she wanted more.

Serena had decided though. Her eyes were fixed on the fire-type as if the other two didn’t exist. Aisling’s gaze was drawn to the Fennekin as well. Xoana began to brace herself, but then Aisling glanced to either side, catching Xoana’s eyes for a moment before delivering her choice. 

“I think I’ll take… the Chespin! Chesnaught are the shit.”

The Chespin looked up, ears at attention, then glanced away and looked back again. Aisling held her gaze, grinning. The Chespin touched a paw to her chest in question.

“Yes, you!” Aisling answered with a snort of amusement. “Get over here.” The Chespin took a few paces forward and sat down in front of her, little nose twitching. “You got nice guns there, short stack.” She flexed one of her own, patting it for emphasis. As if to mirror the motion, the Chespin scratched at her thick arm and smiled tentatively. “You look like a Bree to me. How’s that sound?”

She looked down at a paw, taking a moment to carefully manipulate her digits, then gave Aisling the thumbs up. Beyond her, Serena was slightly irate that the Chespin apparently got more say in her nickname than she had been given.

“Welcome to Team Aisling! Can I get a fist bump?”

Bree closed her paw and tapped it against Aisling’s offered fist. Aisling drew hers away, splaying her fingers and making a sound effect out the side of her mouth. Bree wiggled her claws back experimentally.

“Yeah! You got it.” The Chespin smiled again at the encouragement. It was then that Xoana noticed Serena staring across the table at her.

“Go ahead, Ser—Comtesse. I can’t decide anyway.”

“I’ll take the Fennekin then.” Serena beckoned and the pokemon approached her. “I’ll call you Félicité, alright?”

The Fennekin nodded primly and sat down in front of her, curling her bushy tail over her paws. Serena stroked her fur, almost vibrating with happiness. 

Xoana forgave her minor sins. 

Aisling smiled too and there was a hint of satisfaction in it. So she _had_ guessed which pokemon Serena wanted and let her have it. That was interesting.

The Froakie shuffled around to face Xoana. He blinked one eye and then the other at her. She melted onto her hands.

“ _Hi Froakie!_ ” He blew a bubble from both nostrils and sucked them back in. “You are _so cute!_ I love your bubbles! Can I touch them?” She reached out, but waited for him to nod before putting her hand on the ruff of pale, semi-translucent globes around his neck. They were moist and gave a little but didn’t burst. 

“That’s so cool!” The Froakie smiled his big froggy smile at her. “Can I call you Froabble?”

The Froakie answered with a ribbit that expanded his throat sack a little. A noise of utter glee escaped Xoana.

The others all grinned at her, even Tracie, albeit with half her mouth. Aisling was leaning on her elbow to get a better view. Xoana could feel her face heating up. Tierney—bless her—rescued her by handing out the pokeballs.

“So, if we’re all going together, what’s the game plan?” Aisling asked, spinning her pokeball on the table like a top.

“We thought it would be best to work out of Neuvartault until it’s time to check in with Prof. Sycamore in Illumis,” said Serena. “There are three adjacent routes to train on and that way we could all earn our first badge before the meeting.”

“Sounds good to me,” Aisling replied.

“We can walk there together tomorrow if you want,” Xoana offered.

“I _would_ like that.” That mouth of hers was deadly and shouldn’t be allowed. “Where are we staying?”

“Xoana and Tierney are staying with Tracie and me since we live close by,” said Serena. “But there’s a nice bed and breakfast in town.”

“Excellent. Send me the name and I’ll put in my housing request.”

Serena was a bit taken aback but couldn’t gracefully decline so reasonable a request, so she picked up her holocaster and texted the info.

“Thanks! All in order now?”

“That’s everything on the checklist,” said Tracie.

“Bree and I should probably get going then. Of course I’d love to stay and get to know you better, but alas, I have other appointments.”

She stood and gathered her things, motioning to her new Chespin to follow. Bree hopped from the chair to the ground and waited right by her ankle, which seemed to please her. She looked back up at them.

“It’s been the utmost pleasure meeting you Baronne, Vicomtesse, Comtesse, _Marquise_.”

The way her lips curved upward as she lingered on that final word—like she enjoyed the feel of it in her mouth—made something in Xoana’s chest flutter. 

As she turned, she revealed to them what resembled a biker gang’s emblem splashed across the back of her jacket. It was a pokemon Xoana didn’t recognize—white and soft yellow with a third eye taking up most of its torso and blue tags hanging from each of the three points on its head. A furling banner below the pokemon’s delicate streamers bore the message: _Try My Luck_.

“Au revoir!” Aisling called without turning back.

And with that she was gone, pokeball at her belt, Chespin at her side, and even more bravado in the clicking of her boot heels against the cobblestones. Xoana didn’t want to stop staring after her, but that seemed imprudent, so she yanked her eyes back to the café table. Her new Froakie smiled tentatively up at her and she smiled back. 

Aisling had been a surprise start to finish, but not an unpleasant one. The meeting certainly hadn’t gone quite as planned either, but perhaps that was to be expected. Serena was slumped in her chair with her chin tucked and no one else took it upon themselves to restart the conversation, so Xoana filled the gap.

“Well, she seemed nice.”

“ _Nice?_ ” Serena countered, head cocked to the side and one immaculate eyebrow raised. “You call waltzing in like she owned the place and completely taking control ‘nice’?”

Xoana brushed this aside. “She was probably just nervous.”

“ _Nervous?_ ” Serena was incredulous now. “What part of that display said insecurity to you?”

The Fennekin glanced back at her trainer and then expectantly at Xoana.

“This is a region-wide program. She had no reason to expect that we would all already know each other. It’s intimidating.”

“But—”

“Cut her some slack,” Tierney finally contributed. “You’re the one who was lecturing us to be friendly.”

“So did Xoana!”

“She’s nicer about it,” Tracie muttered, engrossed in her pokedex. Spark played with her handheld, feigning disinterest, but her ears gave her away.

“She told us to call her ‘ _My Queen_ ’.”

Valériane hopped up and down, beating her wings each time in an attempt to see over the table.

“The nickname thing was _my_ idea!”

Serena rolled her eyes and Xoana’s narrowed. Serena leaned back in her chair and spread her arms.

“So now we’re all lackeys in her court.”

“You’re so dramatic!”

“ _I’m_ dramatic?” Serena demanded, hand splayed on her chest like she was performing for a crowded theater.

The total lack of irony was more than Xoana could take.

“Stop repeating everything I say!”

Serena opened her mouth to argue the point, but from the look on her face, realized she was about to shoot Xoana’s words back again and thought better of it.

Xoana considered leaving it there, but she couldn’t.

“ _I_ liked her.”

“Of course you did."

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xoana demanded—as if she didn’t know exactly what it meant—as if they all didn’t know. Xoana’s cheeks flushed. Just once she wanted to hear her say it, but of course she wouldn’t. She never had. “You just don’t like her because you’re used to being the alpha friend.”

“Wha— That’s not true!”

Serena looked to Tracie and Tierney but neither met her eyes. Then she had the nerve to pout. Fuck her and her adorable face.

Serena’s Fennekin hopped off the table into her lap and she stroked her absently.

Valériane made an inelegant attempt to haul herself up onto Aisling’s now empty chair. Xoana leaned over to offer the Hawlucha a hand and chewed the inside of her cheek as Valériane pulled herself up and settled into the seat.

“Listen,” she said at length, “you’re being a Skiddo about this.”

Serena grunted—as if to illustrate Xoana’s point.

“It would make everything easier and a lot more fun if we could all be friends.”

“That is almost exactly what you said an hour ago, Ser.” Tierney reminded her. Tracie nodded in agreement.

That only made Serena’s brow set even further. Time to change tack.

“We’ve got a whole dynamic going and it’s weird to shake it up, but maybe it’ll be good.”

Serena grunted again.

“If you don’t want to see sense, could you at least give her another chance as a favor to me? If you’re feeling generous, that is.”

Serena tried not to smile at the dig, but couldn’t help it. “Fine.” She scratched Félicité between the ears and the tension flowed off her. “First impressions aren’t everything.”

… 

“Raleigh, I’m home!”

“So I see,” he said dryly, but he was waiting for her at the gate.

“Meet, Bree, my starter!” The Chespin ducked behind Aislings legs. “Bree, this is Raleigh. He’s a racer.”

Bree gave Raleigh a tentative wave.

“A plant-type, huh? Don’t ask me to spar with her.”

“Cináed’ll keep her in line, ya big calf.”

Bree made herself small so Aisling shoved the Rhyhorn aside to show her he was all bulk and no bite.

Grace came out of the house with Cináed and Aisling snatched up her starter.

“Look mam! I got a Chespin! Brawny and tenacious! Her name’s Bree.”

“Nice ta meecha there, Bree!” said Cináed.

“Welcome to the family!” said Grace and shook the Chespin’s paw. “How’d the meeting go?”

“Great!” Aisling bounced up on her toes and then hastily put her starter down so that she could emote more safely. “They were all girls! And two of ‘em were black! I miss the ranch already, but it’s so nice to be closer to the city.”

“I know what ya mean. I’m so happy for ya, alanna!”

“And they were all so nice! Serena might be a bit stuck-up, but she’s cute and kinda fun to mess with. Tracie’s shy but she was trying really hard and ya can just tell she’s smart. Tierney—”

“ _Tierney_ now?” Grace interrupted with a grin.

“Oh-aye!” Aisling confirmed in kind. “She had a fun vibe to her. Really interesting project too. And then Xoana—gods is she ever winsome—was so sweet and friendly. Made sure I was comfortable and all that. And you should’ve seen her when she got her Froakie.” She was gushing now but couldn’t help it. “They’re a bit odd, yanno? But she just thought he was the most precious thing in the world, moist skin and all.”

“Even the gooey mons deserve a fan I suppose.”

“But that’s not even the best part! We’re all going to travel together!”

“What a relief!” Grace made a big show of wiping her brow.

“I woulda been fine on me own!” She pouted for a moment but her mother only laughed. “This’ll be more fun anyway. They really are a nice bunch.” Aisling was bouncing in place now. “I can’t wait to start!”

“I’m so happy and _so proud_ of you,” said her mother, voice as warm as the bread she could smell baking.

“Aw mam, you’re always proud of me.”

“Too right! And I always will be no matter what happens.” She brushed Aisling’s cheek with her hand. “But I also know you’ll do well. Us Quinns are women of action—adventurers through and through! There ain’t nothing we can’t do if we set our minds to it!” Raleigh snorted with approval and Cináed nodded vigorously from his perch on Grace’s shoulder.

“Yeah, alright,” said Aisling with a roll of her eyes.

Bree looked heartened and excited by all the enthusiasm, even though she probably didn’t catch much of what was said. Pokemon had a knack for getting the gist of things even without the understanding.

“Though I would like to tack on an addendum, which is that there are certain things we perhaps _shouldn’t_ do… Like our coworkers, for instance.”

“ ** _Mam!_** ” Aisling flushed and Grace tried not to laugh. “I’m not an idiot!”

“Nor am I, but you only have to be a fool once.”

“I know,” Aisling sighed.

“O’course, sometimes it can be the best thing that ever happened to ya.” A grudging smile wormed its way onto Aisling face. “Are ya leaving soon or hanging around for a few more days?”

“Heading out in the morning. We’re all going to stay in Neuvartault until it’s time for our first evaluation.”

“Sensible,” Grace sighed. “You’ll call me though, won’t you?”

“O’course I will. If you get a holocaster, you can see my beautiful face in glorious 3D.” She waved her new device at her mother.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“But you’re coming with me, right Cináed?”

He bobbed. “I promised, didn’t I?”

“Yes!” She pumped her fist.

“But just until you beat the first gym,” he reminded her. “I’m a songbird, not a battler.”

“Yeah yeah, ya coward. We’ve got a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus begins our foray into Kalos and my first proper storylocke! I renamed the characters because I can never seem to help myself and did my own interpretations as usual. Kinda the point of nuzlockes no? I also decided to use the French names for the towns and such because this is poke-France after all and also the French names are cute af art puns and I couldn't resist.  
> I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Team Aisling:  
>   
> Team Xoana:  
>   
> Team Serena:  
>   
> Team Tierney:  
>   
> Team Tracie:  
> 


	2. A Gift And A Curse To The Wilderness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our two leads get to know each other and add some new pokemon to their teams.

Side by side, the resemblance between Grace and Aisling was much stronger, though contrast still existed. Grace was more compact in person than Xoana remembered her, especially next to her daughter who was a head taller and long of limb. But she was just as vivacious and quick to laugh as she’d always been on TV, and had a natural ease about her where Aisling felt high-strung even with the breezy exterior. They smiled the same though—radiating enjoyment and just a hint of mischief.

“Shall we get goin’ then?” It was kind of adorable how Aisling’s accent got stronger around her mother.

“Yeah!”

Aisling gave Grace one last kiss goodbye before practically shoving Xoana out of the front garden to stop their stream of polite farewells. Her Chespin waved frantically until they were round the corner out of sight. The Rhyhorn bellowed after them.

“I always do, Raleigh!” Aisling shouted back.

The Fletching circled them once and landed on Aisling’s shoulder. They crossed the road Xoana would have usually taken to Neuvartault to head for the old route instead. It felt odd to walk instead of drive, but that was the tradition for trainers.

“I thought we’d never get out of there,” said Aisling with a big sigh, but that was all for show.

Xoana wished she could be as genuinely appreciative of the smothering her own parents had poured over her earlier. Of course she had returned all of their “I love you’s” and gave them both the best hug she could muster, but all the while she had been thinking about how to slip out the door.

And here was Aisling trying not to smile at the twittering bird on her shoulder.

“So, can you talk with your Fletchling?”

“The trick is getting him to shut up.” The Fletchling in question cheeped angrily at that and buffeted Aisling’s ear with his wing. “After Cináed found us we battled together for a while until the understanding set in. Same with Raleigh. That’s how I got into training.”

“That’s really cool! Makes sense too. I always thought it was sort of odd to live with pokemon if you can’t talk to them.”

“Didn’t make sense to me either.”

Something tapped Xoana’s leg and she stopped. Froabble looked up at her with his big yellow eyes and blinked—first one eye, then the other. 

“Want to come up?” she offered.

He silently inflated the bubbles above his nose once and it seemed like that was all the answer she was going to receive. He’d barely made so much as a peep since she got him. Maybe he would talk more after the understanding activated or perhaps he was simply quiet by nature. She hefted him and held him in her arms. 

Aisling waited ahead of them on the footpath to Quarellis. Dozens of these ancient, well-worn trails snaked across the region, maintained to this day for trainers to journey along. This one was wide and sunny, lined with razz berry bushes and stately old apricorn trees. Xoana used to come out here sometimes with her siblings to gather them but not for some time, she realized, not since Clément moved out. 

Xoana skipped to catch up. “So, My Queen, did you ever ride like your mom?”

“Oh yeah, I was riding before I could sit up in the saddle. One of my main jobs on our ranch was ‘breaking in’ the baby Rhyhorn.” Xoana inferred from the exaggerated air quotes that this was an outdated term. “It was more like breaking me with how often I got thrown. See, the calves have plenty of power in their charge right out of the shell, but they have to learn form and follow through or you just get launched.” She illustrated this by slapping her hands together and shooting one away from her.

“Wow, that seems dangerous.”

“Eh, a bit,” Aisling shrugged. “It’s not so bad if you wear the gear.”

The way she said it made Xoana think she hadn’t always worn the gear.

“That’s still pretty hardcore.”

“Yeah, I was super into it as a kid and it’s still fun, but it’s not really _me_ anymore.”

Xoana wasn’t sure it was best to probe any further yet. “I guess things come and go. I used to be really into architecture and interiors. Mega nerdy, I know!”

“A little,” Aisling acknowledged. She looked off into the distance, clearly thinking about something, so Xoana let her. Bree bounded ahead, chasing a leaf. Xoana adjusted Froabble in her arms, but there was no way to be comfortable anymore. Maybe she should work out more.

“Do you mind hopping for a bit, Froabble? My arms are getting tired.”

They were getting into town and the Froakie looked down at the cobblestones with distaste. Instead of jumping down, he clambered up over her shoulders and installed himself like a backpack. She giggled.

“That works!”

Quarellis was always a little sleepy right after school let out. The children had dispersed and the tourists who came to see an authentic, old Kalos town had yet to arrive. Most of the shops were closed for a week or two to take a break and outfit themselves for the next season. Froabble leaned over her shoulder a bit to get a better look at the fountain in the square and the Buizel and Panpour playing in it, but stayed where he was.

At this hour, most of the town’s activity was centered around the café they’d met at yesterday and they went in for a boost. Bree bounced excitedly in front of the pastry case when she was given license to select her own treat from the pokemon-friendly offerings and Froabble used his tongue to indicate his choice before the Chespin had even begun to decide. Cináed, meanwhile, eschewed the café’s goods in favor of a sunflower oatcake from Aisling’s pocket. Aisling took her coffee black and got a brioche for herself. She laughed at Xoana’s hot chocolate and croissants but people who thought those breakfast choices were reserved for children were wrong and their souls were shriveled from self-imposed suffering. No one liked black coffee, not really. They were addicts, masochists, liars beyond all hope of redemption.

Aisling was out the door before Xoana had her in stitches. The pokemon were confused but kept pace as Xoana hurried onward so as not to further annoy the grouchy patrons on the patio. Aisling shambled with mirth a half-step behind her and shed a single tear, utterly defeated.

“You make a solid point,” she said when she no longer had to gasp for breath.

Xoana’s steps became bouncy enough to make Froabble finally jump ship—and probably not from the direct line of sugar and caffeine she had just ingested. 

They reached the footbridge on the far end of town and Froabble climbed the railing to look down at his reflection in the glassy water. Flashes of white and orange and the occasional ripple of a horn breaching the surface spoke of Goldeen swimming below. Froabble pointed them out to Bree, who fit her head through the bars to look and very nearly got stuck. Instead she landed on her butt and endured something that sounded a lot like snickering from Cináed.

The bridge ended in the hardened earth of the trail that lead through Neuvartault Forest. The dark mass of trees took up most of the horizon to the north, but for the time being the path ambled through tall grass and bushes. A brook that fed the river ran nearby and it’s burbling mixed with the shuffling of the breeze. 

Froabble croaked to get her attention and pointed to the water. Should she let him swim? He did need to stay damp but… 

“Cináed can watch him,” Aisling reassured her.

The Fletchling and Froakie took off towards the water and Bree stayed behind to guard Xoana and Aisling—a position she took seriously judging by the way she scouted ahead and kept her ears up. There were plenty of wild pokemon about, but none approached them, so the filled the time with conversation. Aisling was surprisingly easy to talk to—not that Xoana ever had much trouble in that department. But she was fun and Xoana didn’t have to work at it. It used to be that way with Serena too.

“So, how long have you known Serena and the others?” The mention of Serena’s name made Xoana worry she’d shared that last thought aloud. But Aisling’s tone was one of failed nonchalance, not prying at an unwitting admission. Xoana let herself feel just a little smug that she had correctly diagnosed anxiety as the motive for Aisling’s coup.

“My mom and Serena’s are friends so we’ve known each other pretty much forever. Hanging around her mom’s gym all the time is what got me interested in pokemon. My parents don’t care for them all that much.”

“Not everyone can be so enlightened.” She was quick with those light, playful jabs.

“We met Tracie and Tierney in primaire. They were already sorta joined at the hip so when I started hanging with Tierney cos of dance, Tracie got pulled into the group.”

“Do you still dance?”

“No,” Xoana sighed, “but it was fun.”

Cináed flew back to them and Froabble emerged from the grass as they neared the trees.

“She started early,” Aisling observed. “She must be pretty good.”

“Tierney’s amazing! She won’t tell you, but she can turn it up!”

“I’ll just have to lure it out of her then.” It might be nice to have some help with Tierney. “Tracie too.”

Oh, right, Tracie. “Um, take your time with her,” Xoana cautioned.

“I will.” She sounded sincere and well-meaning, but the ease and rapidity of her assurance still gave Xoana pause. She wondered if warning her further was wise or if it would only make her more curious. 

Xoana’s inner debate was abruptly cut short by a sharp cry from Cináed, who plummeted to the forest floor, wings bound by a thick webbing. 

Before they could ask if he was alright, he burned off the bindings with an Ember and wheeled to face his assailant. It was a Scatterbug, but creamy white rather than gray and sparkling where the sunlight hit it— _her_ by the short length of her ruff. A shiny! Xoana could barely believe it. She’d never seen one in person before, not of any species. The Scatterbug took one look at them all and flattened the feelers on the crown of her head. Cináed cheeped angrily and she shrank away from him, but the root at her back prevented further retreat.

“Get ’em Cináed!” Aisling cheered. There was power and excitement in her clenched fists and a light in her eyes as bright as her prey’s glitter.

The Scatterbug shot and missed as Cináed leapt upward with one powerful downsweep. He landed on the Scatterbug’s back and delivered a sharp Peck to her head. She wiggled weakly for a moment, unable to escape, and then prostrated herself in defeat. Cináed only just dodged Aisling’s ball. It barely moved before the telltale green flash confirmed the catch.

“Yes!” Aisling cried and jumped to pick it up. “This one’s got fight in her! Good work, Cináed!”

The Fletchling gave her a little bow and twittered as he flew back to her shoulder. Aisling laughed and hitched the new ball to her belt.

“I can’t believe you caught a shiny! They’re so rare!” Xoana stammered. “And your first catch too.” She almost asked Aisling to let the pokemon back out right then and there, but she supposed she wouldn’t have to wait too long.

“Just lucky, I guess.” She shrugged, but there was a knowing quality to her smile that drew Xoana in. Aisling cocked her head and turned that smile on Xoana. “Why don’t we find a first catch for you too, Marquise? It’ll be a fun surprise for the rest of the crew.”

“Yeah!”

Xoana, Aisling and their trio of pokemon spread out to search, ranging around the woods but never wandering out of sight and hearing of one another. There were at least as many pokemon here as there were in the fields—probably more—but Xoana only caught glimpses and snatches further confused by the dappled light. She hadn’t been under the canopy of Neuvartault Forest in years and it was good to be back. The smell of lichen, dirt, and rotting leaves brought back her outings with Serena. They had built little houses for the wild pokemon and climbed trees and sent bark boats down the brook all while her mother’s Masquerain hovered overhead.

Froabble climbed up a tree to get a better vantage and the Pidgey resting there scattered before Xoana could challenge them. Was it always this difficult to find a wild pokemon willing to battle?

“Marquise!” Aisling called, “I think I found one!”

Xoana hopped a log in her haste and found that Aisling and Bree had pinned a Teddiursa against a berry bush. The pokemon had purple stains around her mouth and on her paws from the meal they had interrupted, but didn’t seem all that perturbed about being cornered. She looked from Aisling to Xoana and chuffed.

“So _cute!_ ” Xoana whined.

“Catch her then,” said Aisling in amusement. 

“Right! Froabble use Pound!”

The Froakie hopped forward and the Teddiursa put up her juice-soaked mits. Froabble lassoed one with his tongue and wrenched the Teddiursa off her feet. He jumped on her head with both feet and Xoana flinched, but the Teddiursa threw him off and went after him with Scratch. 

Xoana fretted for a moment about what he would do before remembering that it was her job to direct him.

“Bubble, Froabble!”

The attack knocked the Teddiursa on her butt and Xoana threw a ball. It rocked twice and was still.

“Nice catch, Marquise!”

Xoana clutched the ball tightly.

“Good job, Froabble! You did great!” Froabble gave her a ribbit. “I think this Teddiursa had the right idea though. Let’s have some lunch.”

They selected a small, nearby clearing carpeted in flowers for their picnic and leaned back against a mossy, fallen trunk. The Teddiursa picked more berries along the edge and came back with an armful to share. Bree eagerly took her up on the offer and Cináed had some with the seeds Aisling brought for him. Froabble busied himself with a nest of termites in one end of the log while the Scatterbug nibbled a leaf on the other end where the shade dulled her glimmer. Aisling and Xoana gabbed and worked their way through the cheese and charcuterie they brought along.

“What are you going to call your Scatterbug?”

“Dáire, I think,” Aisling answered between bites. “It means ‘fruitful’ in Gaeilge.”

“Tierney said Bree means ‘power.’ Going for an auspicious theme?”

“It’s tradition,” Aisling said simply. “What about you? What will you call your Teddiursa?”

Xoana had to think about that for a moment. She whistled and the Teddiursa looked at her.

“How do you like Tessa?”

The Teddiursa cocked her head and Cináed tweeted something to her—perhaps a translation. She smiled and toddled over to climb into Xoana’s lap, then set to licking her paws clean. Xoana scratched her between the ears and she made a chortling purr in response.

“Tessa it is then.”

Xoana looked up to see Aisling, head in hand and smiling at her.

“You’re adorable.”

“Me or the bear cub?” Xoana tried not to sound too invested in the answer.

“Both,” said Aisling after a moment’s deliberation. “You have a way with them too.”

“I don’t know,” said Xoana, looking down at the fuzzy creature melting into her arms. “I think this one might just be really tame.”

“No, you’ve got the touch, right Cináed?” He twittered. “See?”

Xoana wanted to joke or argue that the Fletchling could be saying exactly the opposite for all she knew, but something deeper wanted to just accept the compliment. The two urges battled for a quiet moment and Aisling pounced on the pause.

“That was a great first catch.”

The _insolence_ — how dare she say something so idiotic after her first catch had been a _shiny!_

“It’s not like I told Froabble to pull that cool move with his tongue. I almost forgot to do anything at all.”

“You were nervous, sure, but you kept your head. Most people don’t until they’ve had some more practice—and I don’t mean school. Doing all this stuff out in the wild is totally different. There’s real stakes to it.”

“I guess so.” 

Xoana expected it to stop there, for Aisling to be mollified by her acceptance. Instead she tilted her head to catch Xoana’s wandering gaze and pressed onward. 

“You’ve got a natural connection and that has a ton of potential. I think whatever you decide, you’ll go far.”

All Xoana could muster in response was a weak laugh as her heart threatened to beat right through her chest and sent her head spinning. Apparently she was susceptible to flattery. That was… useful to know.

“Care to test that theory?” 

Wait, what was she doing? Was she flirting back? Was Aisling flirting with her in the first place?? That grin of hers seemed to suggest so, but maybe it was just a standard sort of playful? When did she get so close? Close enough that Xoana could smell her shampoo: honey, pear and myrrh. Was that a _friendly_ lean? A _relaxed_ arm across the log by her shoulder? Was she even gay?

“You want to battle?” Aisling asked for clarification.

“Yeah!” Koffings and Voltorb! She’d blown it sky high—crashed that momentum right into a barrier not even a Rhyhorn could plow through. Wait, no, on second thought the enthusiasm made for great cover. “It’ll be fun!”

Aisling got to her feet. “One v one? Starter versus starter?”

“You’re on!”

Aisling offered her hand and Xoana almost forgot to move Tessa off her lap before accepting it. Xoana swayed from the vertigo. Aisling touched her arm to steady her but if anything that made it worse. She had to get a grip! 

“You ready for a battle, Froabble?”

He ribbitted and hopped to her.

“Up and at ‘em, Bree! It’s our first official match!” The Chespin hurried over as Aisling paced back to make room for the fight. “Cináed, make sure Dáire watches.”

Cináed tweeted at the Scatterbug and she nearly jumped out of her skin, but she put the rest of her leaf down and turned to watch.

Froabble gathered his hind legs under him and Bree lowered herself in preparation.

“Pound, Froabble!” Someone move, please!

“Vine Whip, Bree! Snag one of his legs!”

Froabble was shockingly fast—too fast for Bree—but she received the kick to her jaw like a pro boxer and lashed out with a vine from her wrist.

“Get out of there!” 

But Froabble was well ahead of her and already leaping back. Xoana never saw the opening, but Bree didn’t miss it. She lassoed Froabble’s right leg, causing him to fall. With a high cry, she grabbed her vine in both paws, tossed Froabble over her head, and smashed him into the ground on the other side of her.

“Froabble!”

Incredibly he got up and took the only avenue left—straight at his opponent. 

“Block!” was all Aisling had time to get out before they collided. 

Bree got her arms up in time for Froabble to backflip off them. She staggered but found her feet before the next kick and ducked.

“Swing him!”

Bree grabbed her vine again, swung Froabble around like she was competing in the hammer throw, and flung him back at Xoana.

He landed heavily in front of her and rolled onto his face.

“Froabble?”

He gave her the thumbs up but stayed down. She let out the breath she was holding.

“We give!” she called to Aisling.

Bree turned back to her trainer for approval.

“You did great!” said Aisling, crouching down to her pokemon’s level. “Bring it in!”

They bumped fists and Bree wiggled her claws with Aisling this time, looking fit to burst all the while. 

Xoana nearly tripped over her messenger bag and snatched it up to fish out a potion and spray bottle. Froabble had peeled himself off the ground in the meantime and she sprayed him down with water first so that he was clean and damp before she applied the potion. 

Aisling had a cloth for Bree and tended her outstretched paws, which looked a bit raw from the vine.

“You two were awesome!” she declared enthusiastically. It took Xoana a moment to process that Aisling was looking right at her. 

“Hey! I’m supposed to say that! You won!”

“Only because we stole Froabble’s sick move though.”

“That’s true.” She had to accept that one—for her starter’s sake. “Bree can really take a hit.”

“Chespins are tough nuts to crack. I can’t believe Froabble got up after that first slam.”

“Me neither.”

“All it took was your voice calling him.” Aisling squared up to her, leaned in, and tilted her head down to meet Xoana’s eyes, to make sure she was paying attention and wouldn’t look away. “See, now that’s what I was saying before. You’ve had him for twenty-four hours and you’ve already got a bond. That’s something else.”

Xoana blinked and tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. “Thanks,” she forced out—and it felt good. It felt really good. “I wish I had your instincts.”

“That’s practice. You’ll get there.”

Xoana looked down and Froabble smiled up at her.

“Thank you for the match by the way.” Aisling extended her hand. 

Xoana took it. “You’re welcome. We should do it again sometime”

The contact lingered—noticeably so. Xoana checked for any sign that Aisling wanted to let go and found none.

“I meant to ask yesterday, but where did you get that lipstick you’re wearing?”

“It’s NAC Aura. Why? Did you want to try it?”

Okay, that was innuendo. There was no way she meant that innocently, not when she said it like _that_ —like she was offering Xoana another bite of her mother’s smoked Gruyère.

What should she do now? Should she escalate it? Was that a good idea? They were sort of like co-workers weren’t they? If something went wrong it would make trouble for everyone. On the other hand, Aisling was gorgeous and Xoana never had an opportunity like this before.

Cináed cheeped and Aisling let go of her hand, laughing at whatever he said.

Without Aisling’s eyes and touch muddling Xoana’s brain, she realized that was probably for the best.

* * *

The hills east of Neuvartault were bright and lush in the heat of the afternoon. The river was narrower here and rushed through rapids down below them. There wasn’t much out this way and Aisling reminded herself to savor the waving grass and open sky, drink her fill of the calm and quiet. Soon her life would become all gray stone, bustle, and hum.

Unsurprisingly Serena had been very eager to set out this morning after Aisling and Xoana had shown up to dinner last night with new pokemon. Now she was nowhere in sight, having long since struck out on her own. Tierney and Tracie were still nearby on the next rise with Valériane striding beside them, looking for specimens to log. Between Tracie’s strawberry blond bob and Tierney’s stark patchwork vitiligo, they were easy to keep track of.

Aisling should have been watching her pokemon, but her eyes kept wandering to wherever Xoana was. Once again it was worth the glance. Xoana hopped up and down with glee as one of her pokemon took down yet another opponent. Aisling loved the bounce of those girlish tails, how every twist was its own spring, storing and releasing that boundless energy or hers. She looked almost unbearably soft and warm in the pinking light and Aisling resolved to make some excuse to swagger over to her. 

“Hey, Aisling!” Cináed swooped around her, snapping her back to the reason she was actually out here.

Her new Azurill had bounced a ways ahead and she shielded her eyes to better make out the sandy shape she was confronting. The pokemon was flat with a pointed tail and turquoise stripes.

“A Dunsparce! Good work, Emer!” Cináed alighted on her shoulder, his job done, and Bree emerged from the grass to see what the fuss was about. “Careful, they’re flighty.”

The Azurill hopped off her tail and crept closer. The Dunsparce looked from her to Aisling and charged, round eyes glowing red. Emer went sailing right over her tail and landed at Aisling’s feet. Dáire ducked behind Aisling’s leg.

“Not this one,” Aisling muttered. Excellent. “Emer use Tail Whip!”

The little Azurill jumped clear of the Dunsparce’s next charge and smacked it with the buoyant orb on the end of her tail. The blow had little effect, which made Emer take a nervous step back, but Aisling saw the telltale shimmer of the Dunsparce’s magic defenses being ripped away.

“Again, Emer!”

The Azurill did as she was told, but the gamble couldn’t hold out forever and the Dunsparce’s next strike hit home. Emer was briefly airborne before disappearing into the tall grass. Cináed took off after her so Aisling turned to her starter.

“Bree, you’re up!” The Chespin planted herself in front of Aisling, cracking her knuckles. “Vine Whip!”

The Dunsparce’s glowing eyes blurred with the speed of its charge, but Bree smacked it aside with a vine. It whirled on her but she repeated the maneuver and then grabbed its tail with another vine and flipped it. Bree pounced on its exposed belly, but didn’t need to. The light of Rage was fading from its eyes.

“Nice work!”

Bree stepped off and the Dunsparce righted itself in time to see Aisling’s ball. Its fin-like wings flared before being swallowed by red light. The Dunsparce did not break out and Bree handed the ball up. Emer wobbled back out of the grass as Aisling perused the catch info on her holocaster.

“You did good too, newbie. Come get a potion.”

Emer didn’t seem to understand exactly what that meant, so Aisling gave Bree a small spritz first. The Chespin leaned in and shook, making a show of how nice it was, then beckoned the Azurill over. Aisling clicked the Dunsparce’s ball and let her out first. She scooted closer and fluttered her wings, letting out a stuttering hiss. It was difficult to read the serpentine creature’s expression, but she seemed happy enough and Bree chittered warmly back. 

A shadow passed over as Aisling finished spraying them down. It was Xoana, smiling shyly down at her. Aisling hadn’t found anything conclusive as yet, but she had a feeling and her instincts were rarely wrong.

“How do you like Gobán?” she said, gesturing to her latest catch. The Dunsparce spun a circle.

“So cute! Though not as cute as this little Azurill,” she said, snatching up the pokemon and snuggling her.

Emer let out a purring chirrup and rubbed her cheek against Xoana’s. Aisling couldn’t be sure of what she was saying, so she decided to fill in the gap.

“Are ya sure ya en’t talkin’ about your—”

“The pokedex says Dunsparce are quite rare.” 

Aisling wanted to be annoyed at Tracie for messing up her line, but this was the first time she had said anything without being prompted, so she let it slide.

“Does it now? I’ve seen a few before, but they are elusive.”

“Nice catch, My Queen,” said Tierney “Dunsparce are supposed to be lucky, aren’t they?”

Very lucky. “I suppose so.”

“I caught a Riolu.” The pokemon stepped around her legs to greet them. “Gonna name him Laoch.”

“And a fine name it is.” Aisling was a bit surprised one would appear to Tierney, but she still had a lot to learn about her new friends.

“I caught a Fletchling!” Serena was back. “Should be helpful for the first gym.”

Aisling cast upward first, but the bird in question emerged from the grass behind Serena’s Fennekin. 

“Wait, are all of these yours?” Serena asked, tracing a circle around Aisling’s team with a swirl of her finger.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“You didn’t tell me your Scatterbug was _shiny!_ ” she shrilled, pointing and covering her gaping her mouth.

“I’ve been lucky.”

Serena blinked several times and looked on the verge of demanding an explanation Aisling wasn’t going to give. Instead she said: “battle me.” In the time it took that to register, Serena corrected herself. “Why don’t we have a battle? We haven’t had any proper matches yet.”

“Marquise and I battled yesterday, but sure. Two v two?”

Ending with the question made it tough for Serena to go back to the first item, though her eyebrows were clearly signalling her desire to do so.

“Yes, of course.” She gave her head a little shake and paced across the open space to make room for the battle. “Justine.” She pointed and her Fletching hopped nervously forward while her Fennekin sat primly by her side.

Cináed peered suspiciously at the Fletching from his perch in a nearby bush, but said nothing.

“Want another go, Emer?”

Xoana reluctantly put the Azurill back down. She bounced forward on her tail and bobbed up and down while she waited.

Serena gave Aisling a sharp look, probably an attempt to discern if she was being dumb or arrogant, and Aisling made an _after you_ gesture.

“Tackle!” The intensity that was always simmering beneath Serena’s surface flared to life. 

Aisling couldn’t help but smile as she ordered Emer to meet it. 

The Azurill’s Water Gun went wide as Serena’s Fletchling dashed to the side and scratched Emer with her claws. Maybe she wasn’t ready to win her own battles just yet, but she could make them easier for her teammates. Aisling had her change tack and go for Tail Whip instead. 

This time she hit her opponent right in the… nose? Yes, a small black nose attached to a dark-furred pokemon with a short, bushy tail and reddish paws.

Aisling looked to Serena for an explanation, but she seemed equally confused if not more so.

“A Zorua!” Tracie exclaimed. “They’ve only been reported in the deepest parts of the Winding Woods. Though, I guess that Illusion ability would make them difficult to catalogue.”

The Zorua glanced nervously back at Serena’s Fennekin, almost hiding behind her own tail. Félicité’s ears were pinned back and her bottlebrush tail stood on end, but she looked up to her trainer.

“Oh,” she said smartly. “It seems I caught a Zorua.”

“Cool.” That wasn’t much smarter but whatever. “Are we gonna finish this battle?”

“Yes! Justine use—use your dark-type attack!” Not bad for being flustered. 

The Zorua seemed almost as shocked to be asked to continue, but leapt back in with enthusiasm. The dark-type move in question happened to be Feint Attack, which meant that Emer didn’t stand a chance. Justine disappeared in a puff of dark mist and reappeared beside her as she struck. Emer scurried back to Xoana’s waiting arms.

Aisling sent in her Chespin without a moment’s hesitation and had Bree cover her more vulnerable underside to receive the next attack, before trussing up the tricky little creature with Vine Whip until she gave.

Félicité was not as easily ensnared and forced Bree back with Ember. The fire was lovely, to be sure, but Aisling had to douse it. Serena sustained her second shock of the battle when Bree sprouted rocks over her body and went for Félicité like a boulder coming down a mountain. The little fox went tumbling and staggered to her feet only to be struck out as Bree came back around.

It was all over Serena’s face: she had never lost before. Aisling was only too happy to give her that sorely needed experience. Xoana’s eyes had blown wide and Emer hopped back out of her arms to congratulate her teammate. Tierney and Tracie looked rather shocked as well. At least they all knew now.

“That was one hell of a ride, no?” Serena blinked at her, holding her bruised Fennekin in her arms. “Thanks for the battle, Comtesse.” 

“Of course,” was all she could muster.

“We’ve gotta work on that Rollout, Bree. I think you can turn tighter than that.”

Bree nodded seriously, dusting the remaining rubble off her arms.

“That was some battle!” said Tierney.

“You were both so great!” Xoana jumped in.

Aisling accepted the compliments, but Serena was still too far away. She kneeled and looked over her two battered pokemon as she sprayed them down with a potion.

“Maybe we should train for a while longer before we challenge the gym,” she told them.

Completely destroyed. If Aisling could have given herself a high five, she would have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually caught a normal Scatterbug first and caught the shiny one later but decided to skip that whole bait and switch in the story. I did use both for a little while at least so the first non-shiny one will show up a little later in a different role. Besides the starters, all of the squad's pokemon represent in-game catches. I thought it was a nice way to give a role to my boxed and barely used mons. I'll be posting the pokemon teams with each chapter to make them easier to keep track of.  
> Anyway, hopefully this chapter clears up the pokemon talking stuff at least a little. As for all the other stuff that was introduced, we'll get back to it, I swear. I had really a lot of fun with this second installment, more than the first, so I hope you all had fun as well! Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Team Aisling:  
>   
> Team Xoana:  
>   
> Team Serena:  
>   
> Team Tierney:  
>   
> Team Tracie:  
> 


	3. Bring Wings To The Weak And Bring Grace To The Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aisling and Xoana battle for their first badge.

Neuvartault was larger than Quarellis and far busier even at this early hour. The streets were straight and regular and lined with stately townhouses that smelled of musty old money. Clearly the municipality contained hordes of wealth deep enough to have the flagstones relaid all neat and flat, enough to maintain the wall around the old city and the château on the hill that still reigned over them long after the lord himself was gone. 

Aisling would have to hold out hope for Illumis because none of it held much appeal. However, since looking it up, she had come to appreciate the curving vine motif of all the signs, lampposts and public benches leftover from the city’s Art Nouveau period. They did a lot to counter the rigidity and dullness of the place. She’d never spared much thought for it before, but maybe there was something to this decorative arts business.

Aisling passed by the grand square with its patinated copper Roselia fountain in favor of the little park on the quieter east end of the main boulevard while Cináed continued to snooze on her shoulder. The Neuvartault Gym was a far more modern building than most of the others, but the architect had been sensible to its surroundings and created a design that reflected the park around it as well as the older buildings across the street. The front was large, regular stonework with tall arched windows while the back was an enormous glass dome held up by a webbing of steel. 

“Why exactly are you doing this now?” Cináed asked with a yawn. “I thought for sure you’d want to show off for your new friends.”

“Because I want to be first and Serena will wake up any day now and realize she’s more than ready. I can show off the badge to them later.”

Cináed eyed her. “Suit yourself.”

Aisling glanced down at her belt to turn her face away from him and brushed her fingers over the pokeballs there, settling on the one with a little Lepidopteran motif engraved into the top. 

It turned out that shininess did not influence the coloration of Vivillon wings beyond giving the scales a more intense iridescent sheen. Dáire had the same deep blue and white of any other polar pattern variant. But her body had stayed a pale cream rather than turn gray, which complemented her wings quite nicely.

Which was why Aisling sent her out as they approached the bug-type gym. Although she was now significantly larger than Cináed, Dáire fluttered nervously to Aisling’s other side to avoid his gaze. At least she hit hard since evolving.

“I was thinking—” Aisling began.

“Dangerous,” Cináed cut in automatically.

“What if you battled for the badge?”

“Aisling,” he groaned.

“It would be so easy for you! You’re already way strong enough and you have every type advantage in the book! We’d be in and out in minutes!”

“Aisling, I’m not your pokemon.”

“We can go to the Pokemon Center first and get you registered!”

He turned away from her. “We’ve been over this. I’m not a battler.”

“But you could be!”

“I don’t want to.” He took off and landed on a nearby bench.

She skipped forward into his line of sight. “But we’ve never even battled against any trainers together. Just one gym and then if you—”

“ _I’m not doing it, Aisling!_ ” He flared his wings for emphasis and his clear note struck her quiet. “I said I’d see you to the first gym and I have! After I watch your match, I’m going _home_.”

Aisling clenched her fists, but couldn’t make her tongue form any words. Dáire fluttered by her shoulder. Aisling could never get a read on that stiff face of hers, but she was watching now instead of hiding.

“You’ve got jitters.” Aisling had thought it, but it was Cináed who said it. He bowed slightly, placating. “And I understand, believe me.” She remembered how nervous he had been when they had first started battling, how much she’d needed to reassure him, how she’d punted that one Bunnelby herself when it wouldn’t get off him. “But you don’t need to be. I helped you put this team together and they’re strong enough. They’re ready for this badge. And you have your own strength too—I’ve felt it.” He gestured to his chest, to their bond, to the energy she poured into him when they battled. “That will take you anywhere you want to go.”

He was right, she told herself, but she wavered.

“You could stay on as a companion pokemon. I wouldn’t make you fight anymore.”

Cináed sighed and shuffled his wings.

“This move and then this trip with you is more than enough for me. I miss Grace and Raleigh and home. I wasn’t made for adventure.” Her eyes fell and her jaw clenched almost painfully. His white wingtip flitted in front of her nose as he pointed to her. “But you, you’re destined for greatness.” She let her gaze be guided back up to him and he puffed, standing up on his toes with his wrists up to look as big as possible. “You’re gonna show this region things they’ve never seen. You’ll bring them to their knees and carry them on your shoulders. And I’ll be watching. We’ll all be watching you the whole way.”

She wasn’t going to cry… And she wouldn’t insist anymore either.

“I’m going to miss you terrible, Cináed.”

“Same here, Rough Rider. But you’ll call home, won’t you?”

“O’course.”

“And you can wear my feathers, so I’ll always be with you.”

Aisling smiled and sat down on the bench next to him. Cináed hopped back onto her shoulder and nuzzled up against her cheek. She tickled him and then slumped in her seat, letting her head loll back and exhaling a long sigh. 

Cináed chuckled good-naturedly and Dáire alighted on the lampost to their left. Aisling should never have let her out before she talked to Cináed. Would Dáire say anything to the others? What would she tell them?

“Excuse me, Mademoiselle, is that your Vivillon?” It was a gorgeous woman, probably in her thirties, with a pen tucked behind her ear. She wore a short-sleeve jacket with a generous opening at the top and one of those asymmetric, short haircuts that were practically illegal for straight women. 

“Why yes, she is, Madame.” Those silver jeans should have been illegal too.

“I’ve never seen a shiny one before. She’s just lovely!”

Aisling hummed and nodded in agreement, sparing not a glance for her pokemon.

“Are you going to challenge the gym?” the woman asked, indicating the imposing facade to her right.

Aisling straightened from her comfortable sprawl. “Oh, uh…” 

“You seem like a capable trainer.” A damn sight more than capable. “Why not give it a go?”

She could still do this. What the hell was she even worried about? “Yeah, alright.” 

Cináed snickered on her shoulder, which was fair honestly, but she still brushed him off.

“Excellent!” the woman declared, fist raised triumphantly, and Aisling hopped right out of her seat to that rallying cry. “This ought to be good. Let me walk you in.” That seemed a bit odd, but Aisling wasn’t about to argue. “I’m Alexa by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She eagerly accepted the hand offered her. “Aisling. A pleasure to meet you too.”

Alexa put her hand on the small of Aisling’s back and she let herself be guided inside and right up to the front desk where she handed over her trainer card to whoever was working there. Cináed alighted beside her and she glanced over her shoulder to see Dáire almost get clipped by the automatic doors for her hesitation. She turned and slouched back against the counter. 

“Come here often?”

“Like a second home,” Alexa said brightly, paying more attention to her registration than Aisling was. “Oh, is this your first gym battle?”

“Yeah.” The clerk placed Aisling’s trainer ID back in her open hand.

“The first time is always the most exciting!” Alexa leaned on the counter too, resting her chin on her palm. “Are you going to use your Fletching?”

“Oh, Cináed?” she asked, pointing her thumb at him. “He’s just a friend.”

Alexa laughed at that and Aisling laughed too. Holy shit, she was doing it!

Aisling declined the opportunity to battle other trainers first and made sure Dáire was following as Alexa took her past the photo gallery to the middle of the greenhouse where there was a packed-earth battlefield. The air was heavy and full of buzzing wingbeats. Another woman emerged on the other end of the field in a white tank, dull green cargos, and heavy hiking boots. She had an expensive professional camera slung around her neck.

“Hey Vi, look what I found!”

The woman’s face fell into her hand at the sight of Alexa with her arm around Aisling’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, I hope Al didn’t drag you in here—” In an instant, exasperation and embarrassment gave way to purest excitement. “Is that a shiny Vivillon?!”

“Sure is!” Aisling declared with almost as much enthusiasm.

“I’ve only ever seen one before and he was an elegant variant. The shininess plays so much better against the blue here. She’s gorgeous!”

Aisling was sorely tempted to say the same thing about the woman in front of her, who was somehow even more attractive than the one she’d come in with. But flirting with the Gym Leader was a bold move even for her, so she just said “thank you” as if it was a compliment about her own appearance… Oops.

Viola’s hands were already on her camera. “Would you two be open to some photos?”

“I’d be _honored_ , Maîtresse.”

“Vi, shouldn’t—” Alexa began to interject.

“Right!” Viola let her camera fall back against her chest. “I’m sorry. You’re here for your first badge.” Aisling nodded with somewhat less enthusiasm. “We can talk about my hobby after the match.”

“I’d love to.”

“But where are my manners?” She offered her hand. “It’s great to finally meet you, Aisling. Xoana and my daughter have been talking about you non-stop. I’m excited to see what you can do!”

WHAT?? Why had no one told her this? They probably had and she just wasn’t paying attention. She should have realized it the moment Viola came in. She was literally an older, hotter Serena. Same pale blonde hair and blue eyes, same cheekbones, same perfect hands, same broad, dark eyebrows. The resemblance was uncanny. And now that she had been pulled back to reality, they also looked a lot like the woman she’d come in with.

“You gonna stay and watch, Al?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t want to miss my big scoop!” She gave Aisling’s shoulder a squeeze before retreating to the edge of the arena.

“You’ll have to forgive my twin her journalism jokes. She works for Illumis Press.”

Twin? No way. No fucking way! Well, fraternal twins were a thing so it was actually totally possible— For once she stopped her mind from going down that road. She couldn’t afford it right now. She felt hot all over and she couldn’t tell if it was the humidity, confusion, embarrassment, or other feelings anymore. Probably all of it at once. 

She only barely caught Viola mouthing some kind of reprimand to Alexa as her head stopped swimming. Viola smiled awkwardly to cover it and Aisling was saved from having to try and continue the conversation by Viola’s own readiness to move past it. “Let’s begin!” 

Viola paced back to her side of the battlefield and put her hands on her hips.

This family was going to be the death of her. She could feel it.

“Ready Aisling?”

It was going to take days. “You know it!”

Viola pulled a ball from one of her many pockets and released a Surskit onto the field. 

“Alright, Dáire, let’s go.”

The Vivillon dipped in the air and turned away from the field to look at Cináed, perched on a branch. Her antennae bobbed nervously and then she shook her head at Aisling.

“Come on, not now,” Aisling hissed. “You’ll do fine.” 

Dáire backed away and shook her head even more emphatically.

“You’re embarrassing me!” Aisling whined as quietly as she could.

Dáire beat her wings, blowing air in Aisling’s face, and let out a chirping click.

“She’s not going to do it Aisling,” said Cináed.

Aisling glared at her for another beat and the Vivillon didn’t budge. “Fine.” But they were going to have a _talk_ later.

“Everything alright over there?” Viola called.

“Fine! Dáire’s just a bit sensitive about getting wet. I’ll use someone else for the Surskit!”

Aisling considered the other options on her belt. Emer was willing, but couldn’t take a hit worth a damn and couldn’t really deal one either. Bree could probably handle it, but her accuracy wasn’t great yet and she had a type disadvantage. Gobán wasn’t her first choice or even her second, but the Dunsparce had proven hardy.

Aisling let her out.

“You ready to win the badge for us?”

Gobán looked between Aisling and her opponent, and her wings vibrated. She did one of her little spins that meant she was not only ready, she was stoked. Good.

“Gobán use Rollout!”

The Dunsparce covered herself in a rocky shell and barreled straight forwards like a tire. The Surskit was fast and light on her feet, so she waited until Gobán was almost upon her before dodging easily out of the way. By all accounts Rollout was a bit crude in the hands of a beginner and quite difficult to master, but Gobán was almost serenely graceful. She turned on a dime, drifting like a pro racer and kicking up an elegant wave of dirt that Viola captured on her high-speed camera. The Surskit pelted her with explosive bubbles, but it wasn’t even enough to slow her down and this time there was no escape. The torque sent the Surskit arcing through the air and spinning on her antena where she landed.

Viola let go of her camera long enough to withdraw her and send out a Vivillon of her own. This one was shades of pink and not really Aisling’s aesthetic, but pretty nonetheless. The palette would suit Xoana well.

“Keep up your momentum and wait for my signal!” Aisling commanded.

Viola and her Vivillon went for Bug Buzz to weaken and disorient Gobán, but it didn’t matter. When Aisling called, the Dunsparce launched herself into the air with her tail, coiling again before impact for maximum speed and spin. The Vivillon plummeted like a stone while Gobán glided lightly down on her small, translucent wings, shedding the rocky remains of her attack onto her opponent as she spiraled.

The Vivillon fluttered one wing weakly, unable or unwilling to rise. Viola withdrew her pokemon.

“Good work as always, Gobán.”

The Dunsparce hummed as she slithered back to Aisling’s side.

“Fantastic! Just fantastic!” Viola cried, striding across the arena. “You had me worried with that last-minute switch, but it looks like you’ve been working with your whole team.”

“O’course.” It didn’t matter that Aisling had made Gobán practice Rollout mostly to improve Bree’s skill with the move. Or that she had never intended to have her Dunsparce in this battle. She had proven herself and so had Gobán. Maybe it was time to consider a new role for her.

“I must say that was quite impressive for a first badge match, even with that little snag at the beginning.”

Of course she noticed. How could she not?

“Hopefully your Vivillon will be more up for a battle next time. Pokemon all have their own fears, quirks, and preferences but sometimes all they need is a little encouragement to expand their horizons. Being on a trainer’s team is quite a bit different than being wild, after all.”

Aisling was beginning to think Dáire might need more than encouragement. 

“And it’s very important to listen to your pokemon the way you did. I don’t imagine you can understand them perfectly after so short a time, but you are communicating and that’s essential.”

Aisling would be doing plenty of communicating with Dáire after this was over.

“You and your Dunsparce are really quite in sync for how green you are.”

It was a lucky shot but Aisling was good at those. 

“Even more impressive considering you have five pokemon already. That’s a lot for a beginner to handle and normally I’d advise against it, but you’re clearly managing them well. Here’s the Bug Badge. You really earned it.”

Aisling accepted the bright, beetle pin and took a moment to admire it against her palm. Her insides twisted, but not in a nice way—not the way they should be after being complimented by a gorgeous woman and winning her first badge.

“Thank you.”

“Now I know your Vivillon wasn’t up for getting doused, but would she be willing to do an impromptu photo shoot?”

“She’d love to.”

...

Xoana tapped her foot against the polished wood of the gallery floor as she looked up at Aisling’s confident grin. She probably should have known this photo would be up already after how excited Mme Pascal had been at dinner the other night.

Xoana always liked coming in here, seeing what Viola was working on and what sort of pokemon and trainers had come through. Serena’s attempts at photography had long since been taken down as per her request, though a few were preserved among the family photos in Serena’s front hall. A few of Xoana’s were there too. Serena had never really had the patience to follow her mother down that path. Xoana had pursued it for longer, surpassed where Serena had stopped, but she had never done anything for long enough to become truly skilled. Nor did she excel at anything the way Serena excelled at sports and academics and battling.

Viola had taken decades to hone her craft, worked until she could capture motion, vitality, and spirit with a still image. It was almost like meeting the pokemon and people in the photographs, except one had permission to study every detail.

Dáire really did look stunning with that beam of sunlight making every scale of glitter shine like a dewdrop. Aisling was in matching colors with gold dust twinkling between her freckles. She looked like a model—or like how a model _should_ look: all self-assurance and pleasure, staring right at the viewer in challenge with just a hint of warmth in her cheeks.

“Mme Bellamy,” Andre announced over the speaker, “Gym Leader Viola is ready for your badge battle.”

Xoana looked down at Froabble, who blew bubbles out of his nose at her. She took a deep breath and walked into the greenhouse.

The air inside was always wonderfully full of life and smells and oxygen. The heat and humidity may have been a bit much for some, like Tessa who yawned loudly to adjust to the change in atmosphere, but Xoana and her Froakie welcomed it.

Viola was waiting for them on the opposite end of the arena and Xoana’s friends waited on the park benches on either side. Tierney cheered and the others followed suit. Even Tracie clapped, from the safety of her oversized hoodie and legs pulled up inside her skirt while Tierney hollered next to her. Serena felt obliged to pile assurances atop Tierney’s from her perch beside a comfortably sprawled Aisling.

“I’m excited to finally face you, Xoana,” said Viola warmly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, Maîtresse!”

Xoana didn’t breathe until her first opponent was released—a Karrablast. He brandished his horn, thick carapace gleaming in the sun.

“Go Tessa!”

Nothing happened. The Teddiursa wasn’t paying attention.

Viola didn’t wait for Xoana decide what to do about it. The Karrablast charged.

What on earth was she doing here? This was crazy! What did she do??

Fortunately, the Karrablast’s aggression _did_ hold Tessa’s attention and she planted herself between Xoana and the oncoming beetle, teeth bared in an uncharacteristic snarl. She grabbed him by the horn and threw him to the ground.

The Karrablast rolled right back to his feet but by then Xoana had the presence of mind to issue an actual command.

The two pokemon boxed back and forth with Fury Swipes and Fury Cutter, neither gaining the upper hand—or paw. Tessa was slugged repeatedly but she stayed standing and kept herself between Xoana and her opponent with a relentless and wild fervor. Tessa’s usually round face pulled into angry lines as she bellowed. Her once soft paws stretched into claws. Her cuddly frame knocked the Karrablast to the ground like a battering ram splintering a castle gate.

Xoana yelled encouragement even as her gut twisted up watching it. Was this the same pokemon she had befriended?

It couldn’t be. Tessa wouldn’t be here without her. She wouldn’t be battling at all. She wouldn’t be rearing and smashing the Karrablast into the dirt over and over until he squeaked in defeat.

Just like that, she was back—limping back to Xoana with a cautious smile and soft eyes searching her face—making sure she was okay.

Xoana kneeled and hugged her and told her how well she had done. Tessa snuffled her ear and patted her between the shoulders.

But the battle wasn’t over. Froabble had already taken his place on the field and Viola sent out a Vivillon—a garden pattern decked in warm shades of green.

Froabble leapt the same moment she called to him. The Vivillon’s Gust missed but made Froabble’s Bubble go wide. Infestation did not miss and Froabble writhed as the tiny insects swarmed him.

There was nothing she could do to help him. The Vivillon hovered over him, eyes glowing as she urged her minions on.

“Come on, Xoana!” Aisling was sitting up now, both feet planted and leaning towards the edge of her seat. She met Xoana’s eyes boldly, poured something into her with that stare.

Heat coursed through her.

She could help Froabble by finishing the battle, by _winning_. She had a strategy. Last night Serena had noticed the nervousness in her face and shoulders and addressed it in that almost tactful way she sometimes had. She had endured Xoana’s babbling and frantic pacing with the patience and equanimity she kept stored for her friends and for her pokemon. She had been gentle where she could be, direct when she needed to be.

And now Serena was there cheering for her. She always was.

Xoana commanded Froabble with borrowed confidence and turned the battle with borrowed smarts. Froabble zigzagged with his signature speed, dodging any further attacks and getting close enough to repeatedly soak the Vivillon’s wings. She sunk under the added weight and when she was low enough, Froabble leapt above her and bore her to the ground. The infestation left him, signaling the Vivillon’s surrender.

Xoana’s friends whooped, hollered, whistled, and clapped. The pokemon cheered too. Emer was bouncing high on her tail and squeaking at the top of her voice. Froabble jumped into her open arms.

“Nice battle!” Aisling’s compliment somehow rang above the others. “I wasn’t expecting that awesome strat after you and Tessa just brute-forced the Karrablast.”

That was because it wasn’t hers. Or maybe she was being a bit unfair to herself. Serena hadn’t actually told her what to do, just steered her thinking in the right direction.

“Thanks!”

“Well done, Xoana!” Viola congratulated warmly. “You’ve got a great connection with your pokemon already. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Aisling smirked at her over Viola’s shoulder, smug vindication smeared across her visage. But the reason for it and the faint glow rising to Aisling’s cheeks forced a grin onto Xoana’s face. She’d yet to stop insisting that Xoana had real potential as a trainer and this battle hadn’t convinced her otherwise.

It was tough to be sure about Tessa, but Froabble was a natural battler—that focus, assurance, and pure athleticism. If he hadn’t gone to her, he would have gone to some other trainer. He was going to be great and maybe she could help him get there.

“That was fun,” Froabble declared as if he could read her thoughts. “Thank you, Xoana.”

Xoana startled all of them with her giddy shriek but she didn’t care. She danced around with Froabble held high, yelling “he talked!” over and over. It was stupid, because all pokemon talked, but she finally understood him.

And she couldn’t wait to have a conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession time: Cináed died in game right before the first gym because Kalos is apparently full of pokemon with Counter, Retaliate, Bide, and other such moves. So that’s why the character Cináed doesn’t fight in the gym and goes home afterward. It was nice to be able to combine my first catch with Grace’s Fletching and thankfully he won’t completely disappear. He just won’t be fighting any of Aisling’s battles for her.  
> Gobán is a hero and a badass. I love her dearly. Serene Grace Dunsparce are the shit and I will hear no arguments.  
> When I first tried to write this chapter I couldn’t decide which battle I wanted to show but the obvious answer was both. I’m very happy with the contrast it creates and I’m glad I did it, but who knows if I’ll do the same for the rest of the gym battles. They aren’t all as interesting or important.  
> Thanks again for reading!
> 
> Team Aisling:  
>   
> Team Xoana:  
>   
> Team Serena:  
>   
> Team Tierney:  
>   
> Team Tracie:  
> 


	4. The Truth You Can’t Hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aisling learns a tough lesson.

There was only one day left before they were scheduled to report to the lab, so they spread out across the grand park on Route 4, looking for battles or simply admiring the well-manicured scenery. It really was quite lovely and Aisling could understand why Xoana had wanted to spend a full day here instead of breeze by on their way to Illumis. The plantings were all in sharp color groupings that together formed designs, mirroring the bright mosaics that adorned the many paths, pools and fountains. The density of blooms made a perfume so thick it was difficult not to get drowsy.

Three members of Aisling’s team scampered around looking for wilds and other trainers to fight while Dáire flitted from flower to flower, sipping up nectar. She didn’t wander far and watched her teammates dutifully, but avoided Aisling’s looks. The only battle she’d had all day was when she blew away one particularly ornery poppy Flabébé that crossed her path. Otherwise she swooped behind the eager Bree and Gobán whenever another trainer approached them. 

Aisling collected their awe and compliments on her shiny pokemon with ever-diminishing enjoyment. 

Tierney’s new Vivillon rushed eagerly into battle, flattening the abundant plant and bug-types with ease. Even at a distance, Aisling could tell that he enjoyed his victories. Unlike Dáire, Aiden had been raised in Viola’s Gym where battling was commonplace and lacked the risks of the wild. Aisling hoped Dáire could be taught the same attitude, but merely watching the others wasn’t doing the trick.

Tierney and her team strode out of sight and Aisling turned back to her own battle. Emer doused the opposing Bunnelby and it keeled over, much to the disappointment of its trainer. The pleasing chime of fresh wealth being transferred into Aisling’s battle account was quickly drowned out by the wind and light of evolution.

“Hell yeah!” Aisling pumped her fist. “Evolved on your first solo victory. How’s it feel?”

Emer squeaked and wagged the tail she had just grown into. Aisling assumed that was good.

“You’ve earned yourself a break, kid.” 

But Emer was already celebrating with her teammates. Bree offered her a fist bump, Gobán slithered circles around her, and Dáire chirped something to her. They went back and forth and Dáire even alighted on the ground so that Emer could compare how much she’d grown. Aisling thought she’d never heard the Vivillon titter quite as sweetly. She might still be giving Aisling the cold shoulder, but she was growing attached to the others. That was something to work with.

“Oh, thanks for the battle by the way!” Aisling added, belatedly remembering her opponent was still present. The trainer muttered something similar but without the same sentiment and slunk off. She let her pokemon socialize for another minute before getting them back on task.

“Who wants to go next?”

Gobán hummed in anticipation—no, not Gobán. It was the wrong pitch. Aisling’s head swung around to find the source and something red caught her eye, more specifically the red gem that crowned an exceptionally rare queen Combee. She was investigating a flower barely a meter away to Aisling’s right.

“Yawn, Gobán!” Aisling whispered.

The Dunsparce slithered surreptitiously closer before leaping up and puffing sleep-inducing gas into the Combee’s face. She buzzed in annoyance and kicked up a Gust, but as soon as that faded, she dipped drowsily. Aisling threw a ball.

“Hey!” It was some boy—or teen probably—with a Riolu at his heels. “I’ve been hunting that queen Combee for an hour!”

The button on Aisling’s ball flashed green and Gobán curled around it with a hiss.

“Oh.” Aisling swallowed her next remark in favor of, “Sorry about that. Didn’t know.”

Silence hung between them and the trainer glared. If he wanted to pursue this further he was going to have to do better than that. He faltered beneath Aisling’s impassive blinks.

“How about we battle for it?” That was more reasonable than expected. 

“Sure. Seems fair.” Why not indulge him?

“One-on-one!” he hastily tacked on. “I’ve only got Cyril.”

Fine. “No problem. I like a duel.”

Gobán perked up but no way was Aisling risking the type-disadvantage. “Dáire, this is all you.”

The trainer and his Riolu winced at the prospect of facing a Vivillon, but it was Dáire who backed down.

Fuck.

Aisling grimaced. “Could you give us a minute?”

The guy nodded and shared a glance with his Riolu. Aisling turned on her Vivillon.

“You can’t keep doing this!” she hissed.

Dáire squeaked back and flashed her wings.

“Look, I know you had a rough start there, but you haven’t had trouble in a fight since you evolved. What’s the problem?”

Dáire chittered, gesturing to the trainer and his pokemon.

“Trainer battles are _safer_ than battling wilds. You’ll be fine.”

Dáire shook her head, the stubborn git.

“This is the easiest battle I can give you! You have a double resistance to fighting-type and that Riolu is weak to your Gust. This is a cakewalk.” Maybe she shouldn’t be saying this in front of her opponent, but if he wasn’t a total dumbass he knew already.

Dáire seemed unconvinced.

“Don’t you want to get stronger? Just look how much you’ve grown since we met. Isn’t it better to be evolved?” Dáire fluttered to and fro, mulling it over. “You’ve got a real knack for special moves, I’m telling you. You could carry this team instead of letting your teammates carry you.” Dáire tilted her head towards them. “But not if you don’t battle.”

They stared each other down and after a few moments Dáire let out a huffy exhale and swooped around Aisling to face the Riolu.

Finally got through to her! Or wore her down. Whatever.

“Ready?” the trainer asked. He could be snide all he liked. This was already over.

“Yep! Dáire use Gust!”

“Quick Attack, Cyril!”

Dáire was too low and slow to avoid the swift sock to the gut, but she used Gust to get some altitude and nearly knocked the Riolu off his feet.

“Endure!” He was stalling for time, but it wouldn’t work.

“Just keep it up, Dáire!”

The Vivillon beat her wings, drifting closer again to pierce the red glow of Endure. The Riolu shuddered. Any moment now his strength would fail.

“Counter!” 

The Riolu rocketed towards Dáire, throwing his whole body into the punch, but Aisling was still shocked when Dáire plummeted to the ground. Blows like that had bounced right off her ever since she sprouted wings. The Riolu fell to a crouch, spent and shaking. If Dáire only got up they could still win this.

But she did not get up. She was perfectly still. Emer had stopped bouncing. Something was wrong.

“Dáire?”

A step forward revealed that the Vivillon’s chest was dented in like a car that had been broadsided.

No. _No no no!_ There was no way— 

Dáire twitched and Aisling fell to her knees. She rummaged through her bag with shaking hands for a potion. Dáire rattled as the spray hit her. Liquid oozed out of a crack.

“Hush, easy,” Aisling told her in a voice that didn’t belong to her. She scooped Dáire up as gently as she could.

“Arceus, I’m sorry,” the trainer stammered. 

Aisling glared at him over Dáire’s wing but nothing came out. She stood and stumbled into a run. 

After that everything became automatic. Her legs pounded down the path, her heart pumped furiously, and her lungs fed them of their own accord. Aisling couldn’t tell if Dáire was moving or if it was only her jostling. Was she clinging to Aisling’s top or was it just her barbs snagging in the fabric? The walk that had taken over an hour this morning took perhaps a quarter that time and yet so much longer.

Aisling almost collided with the Pokemon Center doors and the nurse behind the counter ushered her into one of the emergency rooms. 

Really she knew by the look on the nurse’s face when she set Dáire down on the table. But she couldn’t even hear what she was sobbing as Audinos ushered her out of the room. She slumped to the floor of the hallway and shook. She couldn’t control her muscles anymore. She couldn’t control anything. She gave over to the tears and tremors and gasping.

Green swam before her vision. Bree placed a pokeball in her lap before coming around to nuzzle up against her side. Emer pressed into her other side and Gobán curled around her feet. Their weight and warmth gradually eased her shivering.

By the time someone came out of the room to talk to her, she was as still as Dáire had been.

“I’m so sorry. Your Vivillon was gone before you got here. We weren’t able to revive her.”

Aisling nodded.

The beluarian crouched to put her face into Aisling’s line of sight and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You did everything you could. Your Chespin said you ran all the way from the Jardin de Tuiles.”

Aisling nodded.

“We offer cremation and can send you the ashes, arrange public or private burial, or send them to a gem maker.”

Bree pawed at her.

“You have plenty of time to decide. I’ll have a nurse give you the literature. I’m so sorry for your loss. Do you need to stay overnight here? I can arrange a room.”

“I have a room,” someone croaked. Aisling took a deep breath, swallowed, sat straighter. “I’d like to register my Combee.”

“Of course.” The beluarian stood and Aisling followed suit, using the wall for support. “I’ll have Cerise escort you.”

Aisling withdrew her team and let the Audino take her back to the front.

… 

The waiter gave Xoana a look the second time she sent him away, but she didn’t want to order without Aisling. She wouldn’t want her to feel excluded, not when everything was still so new.

Truth be told, she was beginning to worry. They had scoured the gardens earlier before eventually walking back to town without her. Xoana had hoped to find her lounging here already, sipping smugly on some beverage, but there was only an empty table and a string of unread texts.

“Do you think she might still be at the Jardin de Tuiles looking for us?”

Serena swallowed her wine. “If she is, I doubt it’s because of us.”

That wasn’t very charitable, but probably true. She had snuck off to challenge the gym without telling them.

“I’m sure she’s on her way,” said Tierney.

The door of the restaurant swung open and the hostess showed Aisling to where they were sitting. She had put on fresh makeup but it couldn’t cover the distance in her eyes.

“There you are, my Queen! We were wondering where you got to.”

Aisling took a seat. “Sorry I’m late. I had to go to the Center.”

“No problem!” said Tierney.

Serena twisted in her seat to hail their waiter and Aisling stared down at her menu.

“Is everything alright?” Xoana ventured.

Aisling blinked at her, then looked down again and stared right through the table.

“No.” 

That got the rest of them invested. Serena turned back to the table. Aisling, who had until this moment basked in all forms of attention, shifted uncomfortably beneath their gaze. 

“I’m fine… but Dáire got hurt in a battle. She didn’t make it back to the Center.”

The others were as aghast as Xoana was, Serena even more so.

“Your Vivillon?” said Serena incredulously. “What happened?”

“It was some asshole rookie and his Riolu. Caved her chest in one hit.”

“But Vivillon has double resistance!” Serena argued as if Aisling hadn’t certainly thought the same thing. “How could—why was she even low enough?”

“Serena!” Xoana tried to cut her off. 

“She was trying to break his Endure,” Aisling answered anyway. “Then they went for Counter.”

“ _Arceus!_ ” Serena rubbed her temples.

“They didn’t have any fucking control! They shouldn’t be battling if they can’t hold back at all.”

“Accidents are pretty common at our level. We should all be taking extra care.”

“I’m sure—” Xoana began, but it turned out she was absolutely correct about how Aisling would take Serena’s remark.

She stood abruptly, bumping the table a little and glaring bloody murder at Serena before storming out. The door swung wide and slammed behind her. The whole restaurant was quiet for a moment. 

“Will you friend be joining us or are you ready to place your order?” the waiter asked Xoana.

They all knew she wouldn’t be back and finally gave the waiter the selections made nearly half an hour ago. When he was gone, Xoana glared at Serena.

“What?” Serena had the gall to look confused. Xoana contorted her face even further. “Was it me?”

Xoana’s face hit her palms with and audible slap. “ _Ser_ ”

“But—I just—What did I do?”

“Maybe it was the part where you sounded like you were blaming her for her pokemon’s death!”

Serena’s eyebrows did one of their incredible feats of acrobatics as she processed. “I didn’t say that!”

“ _We_ know you didn’t mean it like that,” Tierney clarified. And that was a blessing because Xoana had her napkin in hand and was on the verge of beating Serena with it yelling _Yes! You! Did!_ “But it came out super judgemental.”

“But we _should_ all be careful,” Serena insisted. “I don’t understand how she lost her _Vivillon_ to a _Riolu_.”

“ _Exactly!_ ” Xoana strangled the air in front of her instead of her friend’s neck. “Don’t you think she’s in shock too? Maybe she did something stupid or reckless, but what reason did she have to expect Dáire would die because of it? What are the odds?”

“Very slim,” admitted Serena.

“Plus she probably already felt super guilty and came here for support. And then you go and pile more on like she doesn’t feel bad enough!”

Serena had scooted all the way back in her seat and now she bit her lip in that way that undid Xoana every time. She did her best to brace for it.

“Gods I fucked up.”

“Ya think?” Xoana’s voice had the decency to still sound angry.

“You’re right. My intention is not important. That was insensitive and needlessly cruel of me. I will apologize to her tomorrow.”

Xoana would never be over the way she could just swallow her pride like that. And Serena was _proud_ and stubborn to a fault. But she always did what was right. She was noble—not in the sense their silly nicknames represented, but in the second sense of the word, the truer one to Xoana’s mind. People like her weren’t supposed to actually exist, not _really_. Yet here she was, a knight of honor in a cap-sleeve blouse and high-waisted skirt. 

“I just hope she’s alright.” Tierney sighed. “That’s a lot to deal with right before our first eval.”

…

Aisling’s room in the bed and breakfast was “cosy”, but without Daire there was plenty of room to let her whole team out. The only one who wasn’t still was the Combee, who Aisling dully recalled hadn’t been let out of her ball since her capture. She buzzed in a restless hexagon, evaluating them all in turn.

“Dáire’s dead.” Bree flinched, so Aisling adjusted her tone. “There was nothing they could do for her. There was nothing any of us could have done.”

Silence. The Combee had set herself down on the little table in the corner.

“Do you all understand that?”

They all nodded except for the Combee, who cleaned one of her antennae instead. She knew she was exempt. 

“But it shouldn’t have happened.” Aisling’s hands balled up in the sheets at the edge of the bed.

Bree and Emer’s ears drooped and Gobán was flatter than usual.

“She was strong, she had every advantage, but we were— _I_ got cocky. I didn’t play the match carefully. I never thought she might—” Her knuckles were white. She willed her hands to let go, laid them in her lap. “I’m the trainer. So it’s my responsibility.” 

Silent stares.

“ _My_ responsibility.” She repeated. “ _I_ made a mistake.” 

Bree looked down and shuffled her paws.

“I think I’ve been going about this the wrong way. I shouldn’t have pressured Dáire. She didn’t want to do it and I all but forced her.” Aisling’s throat closed, almost choking the final syllable. She took a breath— waited for it to clear. “I should have listened to her. Viola was right. Communication is important and I haven’t been listening…” Aisling bent forward and talked to her knees. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being pushy and careless and losing a teammate. I’ll try to do better. I’ll listen better from now on.”

Bree looked at the other two, then stepped forward and put her paw on Asiling’s knee. “It’s okay, Aisling.” 

For a moment it almost didn’t register. But she didn’t imagine it. She couldn’t have. What she had imagined was nowhere near as kind. 

“Accident happen in battle. We all know.” Bree’s speech was stilted, just like Cináed’s had been at the beginning. “You good trainer!” Bree shook Aisling’s leg a little, willing her to understand. “Helped us get stronger, Dáire too.”

“Yes!” Piped Gobán. “Strong trainer!”

“I evolved!” Emer squeaked. “Not weak anymore.”

She had told them she would listen to them—said it and meant it—and now she could hear them. Battling was what forged the bond. Everyone knew that and Aisling had felt it, but there was something more, something they didn’t teach in trainer school.

Aisling stood up and squared her shoulders.

“Alright then, but this isn’t going to be easy. I’m aiming all the way for the top. We’ll have lots of tougher battles ahead of us.”

“Good!” Gobán hissed, wings humming. 

“I can win now!” Emer squeaked, tail wagging.

“We’re ready!” Bree assured her and put up her fists.

“Glad to hear it!” Aisling turned her attention to the Combee, who had watched everything unfold impassively. “I’d like your help.” There was a bug/flying hole that needed filling. “And I’d like to call you Finley.”

The Combee nodded.

“Welcome to the team.” She smiled. “We have an evaluation to ace!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dáire actually perished just after Lumiose, but I think this worked out better pacing wise. If nothing else it let me dodge boxing someone. And Aiden was my original Vivillon that got immediately ousted by the shiny. Beluarian is a term I made up for pokemon doctors. I could have used veterinarian but I’m extra.
> 
> Team Aisling:  
>   
> Team Xoana:  
>   
> Team Serena:  
>   
> Team Tierney:  
>   
> Team Tracie:  
>   
> Graveyard:  
> 


	5. Light Your Candle To My Raging Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aisling, Xoana, and the others face their first evaluation at Prof. Sycamore's lab and meet many new faces

Aisling was back the next day with almost as much punch and panache as the day they met— _almost_ because she didn’t have quite the same spring in her step, because she stopped to admire the mosaics that gave the the Jardin de Tuiles its name, because she looked wistfully after the wild Vivillon that held nothing for her the day before. 

But Serena didn’t appear to notice these subtleties. Her eyebrows loomed low and confounded on her forehead at Aisling’s liveliness. Xoana then watched the remainder of Serena’s sympathy evaporate like dew in the warm morning sun as Aisling sent out a queen Combee. 

The new catch wasn’t quite as rare as a shiny, but still warranted the explanation Serena demanded. Aisling offered only the predictable “I got lucky” with what might have been the slightest undertone of irony. Which probably quelled any remorse Serena might still be feeling about last night’s trespass.

Aisling underwent yet another transformation as they all passed through the shadow and stone of Illumis’s south gate. By the time Xoana’s eyes had adjusted, light had broken over her again and a grin parted her lips, threatening to split her face wide open. There was glee and hunger in her eyes. She’d never been to the city before.

“Welcome to Illumis!” Xoana hopped into Aisling’s view to frame the vista with fluttering hands.

A chuckle! “Wowee!” Somehow it wasn’t even that corny coming from her.

“Wait until you see the center!” said Tierney. 

“I’m gonna see it all!” Aisling declared.

But they had to report to the lab first and withdrew their pokemon to take up less space in the city streets. Serena was impatient and always a little ahead as they threaded their way west, but stopped short of hurrying them since there was plenty of time. Aisling, meanwhile, lingered at the back, pausing now and again to take it all in, but never asked them to stop for anything. Her nose lifted as they passed a cafe and she saluted a passing Gogoat shuttle, who blinked at her in return. She almost bumped into Tracie when they stopped she was so distracted, but recovered smoothly.

“ _This_ is a lab?” 

The disbelief was justifiable. Sycamore Labs was situated in one of the only remaining distinguished _hôtel particulier_ that once lined Boulevard Méridionale. The Professor had inherited it from his aunt through an unbroken line of nobles older than the house itself. Because money couldn’t buy a building like this, not anymore. 

“One of the original interiors is in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.”

“Now that I’ll believe. What a façade! That cartouche above the door is positively emblematic of Kalosienne Renaissance classicism.” 

Xoana’s stomach did a little flip and she swallowed dryly. Was Aisling a secret architecture nerd or had she looked that up because Xoana had mentioned being somewhat versed in the subject exactly once?

Then Aisling winked at her— _winked_ —and Xoana’s brain short circuited. She shouldn’t be allowed to do that. It was simply unconscionable. 

Before Xoana could properly address the legality of the situation, Aisling had bounded up to the door. 

The entrance hall had been carefully maintained and restored and still boasted the incredible style of its heyday complete with parquet flooring, a coffered ceiling, mixed sculptural and painted decoration, and caryatids on either side of a far more recent but nonetheless antique elevator on the far end. Xoana knew that one of the doors must lead to the only original parlor, the grander sister of the one she had seen herself, which had been kept as a venue for the lab’s small fundraisers. She sorely wished she had time to look for it.

Xoana felt there must be at least two perfectly serviceable stairwells in a building this august, but they were waved into the elevator by the woman who had met them at the door. Strictly speaking there wasn’t space enough for five, but that didn’t stop the woman from sliding in after them and pressing Xoana right up against Aisling’s chest so that she had enough elbow room to work the lever. 

Xoana smiled apologetically up at Aisling’s exceedingly proximate face and glimpsed what may have been the beginnings of a blush coming to her cheeks before the elevator halted and they piled back out. 

Prof. Sycamore’s office was on the top floor in what was once a grand bedroom, and it still retained an oddly intimate vibe post-conversion. Tall windows overlooked the lawn and gardens below and warm late-morning light flooded the room.

The professor rose languidly from the plush chair behind his grand sycamore desk—the distinctive ray fleck was unmistakable. Xoana stifled a giggle.

“You must be the new interns for the trainer magnet program. At last we meet!” He went down the line shaking each of their hands in turn. “Such a pleasure! Are you all getting along with your starters?” He nodded at their chorus of ascent. “Wonderful! My report says you all earned your first badge already, is that correct?”

“Yes, Professeur!”

“Please, call me Sycamore.” He waited for at least one of them to amend themselves before continuing. “That’s excellent, just fantastic! This evaluation should be nothing for you then. What say we get on with it?”

Aisling’s enthusiasm buoyed up the more nervous murmurs of agreement and Sycamore led them down a flight of _stairs_ and out into the garden, chattering all the way. 

The lawn beyond the flowerbeds was bordered by roses and topiary. Ancient sycamores stood at each corner and there was a sizable fountain at the middle back where some young Froakie and Squirtle played. There were a good number of pokemon sprawled out in the sun, including a hulking metallic species Xoana didn’t know the name of. The burnished silver and gold was too bright for Xoana to focus on, but Aisling stared with wide eyes.

“A shiny Metagross,” Tracie murmured.

“Bessemer!” Sycamore called to it. “Would you clear a little room for us?”

It couldn’t be his pokemon. Xoana would have heard about it.

The Metagross rose, gave them a nod, and then floated under one of the trees. Xoana gasped as a Garchomp stepped out from the shade to make room. Serena had talked about it enough for Xoana to know who she was. She was Sycamore’s starter and a pioneer of mega evolution. Xoana had watched some of her exhibition matches as a child. She surveyed them all with cold yellow eyes, then growled so low it shook the ground.

Several Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander came running, gathering by Sycamore to await the call to battle. The Bulbasaurs were a pale with dense markings and bright bulbs, the Squitles had pointed shells and strong jaws, and the Charmanders glowed with intense color and sported a row of dots down each side. Even Xoana could tell they were no run-of-the-mill variants.

“Send out your teams,” Sycamore commanded. 

Froabble, Bree, and Félicité greeted Sycamore’s Garchomp and she nodded to them while the others looked up at her in awe. Xoana found both legs embraced by furry bodies. One by Tessa, who was standing in front to protect her despite being terrified. The other was Emer, who could almost reach around now and peeked out curiously.

“Each of you will battle a balanced trio and can use up to three pokemon of your own. I may be a little rusty, but don’t let your guard down.” Sycamore winked, but it was far less affecting than the one she’d received earlier. “Who wants to go first?”

Aisling was quicker on the draw. Serena pretended to be gracious. 

One of the Bulbasaurs trundled forward and wiggled in readiness. To the surprise of all, Aisling sent in the Combee she’d had on her team less than twenty-four hours. She kept her distance and dodged the Bulbasaur’s reaching vines as best she could until her Gusts wore him down. 

Next was a Charmander, lean and sharp-eyed. Aisling switched for Emer—the only sensible move at this juncture. The Charmander surveyed Aisling and her team and gave a derisive snort that blew steam from her nostrils. Her claws flashed the moment the attack order was given and Emer squeaked in surprise at her ferocity. The Marill was forced to bounce, roll, and bide her time until the Charmander became frustrated enough to use Ember. A well-timed Water Gun doused it and left the Charmander spluttering long enough to get in a one-two Tail Whip across her face. The Charmander knocked her away with a lunge, but another sustained Water Gun blast brought her down.

A blithe Squirtle stepped up to replace her and Bree cracked her knuckles. The turtle’s Withdraw and ridged shell gave the Chespin some trouble, but she shrugged off the Tackles with her woody plates and once she got a firm grip it was over. The Squirtle held out for a while, but the combination of nausea from being slung around and repeated violent meetings with the ground were eventually too much for him. Bree flexed like Aisling had shown her and evolved on the spot. 

The burst of light and wind jolted Xoana back to herself and even drew the attention of the Metagross from across the lawn. Sycamore smiled to himself, Serena tried not to look pissed, and Xoana and the others offered their congratulations to cover for her. 

Meanwhile the Quilladin marveled over her her new bulk, armor, and needles. Her ears perked at Aisling’s words of praise and she chittered back at a lower register. They performed their now signature fist bump and Aisling made a big show of how much the Quilladin’s hardened knuckles hurt. Bree gasped but it turned into a giggle as she realized the joke.

Serena went next of course and Félicité dispatched her Bulbasaur in a single fiery blaze. Justine had disguised herself as a Marill right out of a ball to intimidate the Charmander. The trick let her get close enough to get in two very good hits without getting singed and Sycamore was thoroughly surprised and appreciative when the jig was up. Serena was pleased, but Justine looked to Félicité for approval and received no reaction at all. She tried her best against the Squirtle, getting up once more than she should have so that Félicité wouldn’t have to face her weakness. The Fennekin brushed past her fallen teammate and wore the Squirtle the rest of the way down with her superior agility. 

Xoana didn’t mean to go last, but Tierney was jittery with nerves by the time Serena was through. Valériane, Laoch, and Aiden made fairly short work of it, but by then Spark was getting very bored and Tracie had her battle before the Pikachu fell asleep. Bulbasaur was a rough start typing-wise but Tracy and Spark had long since solved that puzzle: paralyze, weaken, spam Quick Attack. Charmander went down faster and Squirtle only took one sustained shock before keeling over.

“Ready, Mme Bellamy?”

Xoana jolted back to herself and sent in Tessa. Once again she needed some prompting, but the Bulbasaur they were up against was quite obliging in that department and did a quick warm-up with his vines while Tessa sized him up. He was focused and confident when they got to it though, keeping Tessa at bay with his vines until she grabbed on and reeled him in. Even then he held his own, claws shredding turf down to the last inch. But Tessa hit hard and tenaciously once committed and he surrendered when she somehow hoisted him by the bulb after a thorough pummeling. 

Tessa eagerly tapped out when Froabble croaked his willingness to take over. The Charmander blocked one Bubble with Ember but never landed a Scratch. 

Xoana didn’t like his chances against Squirtle’s high defences and sent Tessa back in. The Teddiursa didn’t hold out long after the strain from her first battle, so Xoana had no choice but to overturn her doubts with the surety Froabble displayed as he leapt back in. 

Speed was everything now. It was all they had since the Squirtle could take a hit that would lay Froabble out and deal almost as good. She focused on every movement, trying to stay with him as he hopped, flipped and sprinted. The Squirtle’s shell was more hazard than target, so Xoana gambled for the legs. They were short, low, and difficult to hit, but Froabble enjoyed the challenge. Despite his frankly incredible agility, the proximity necessitated by this strategy earned him two consecutive Tail Whips. 

For a moment Xoana thought they might win—the Squirtle was becoming unsteady on his feet—but it was not to be. A full body Tackle with that brutal shell knocked Froabble flat on his back. She heard the wind forcibly eject from his lungs with each consecutive impact as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

But she also saw what the relieved Squirtle did not—Froabble dig a hand into the grass. And she couldn’t give up on him, not after the promise she’d never even voiced.

“Froabble, use Lick!”

His tongue shot out and wrapped the Squirtle’s head. The pokemon was too distressed by the lavender flames to rally and Froabble used his prone but anchored position to yank the Squirtle forward.

“ **Pound!** ”

Froabble released his hold, flipped, and kicked the stumbling Squirtle with both legs in one fluid motion. The force sent the Squirtle right over Sycamore’s head. Everyone’s gaze followed the arc and came to rest on his spinning shell—all but Froabble, who regathered his legs into his customary squat.

“You alright, Froabble?”

He nodded. “Thanks for the boost. That was a good kick.”

“That was an _awesome_ kick!” She almost laughed and gathered him up in her lap to check his chest.

“You all did very well!” Sycamore congratulated them. “I’m pleased and excited to keep working with all of you. Mme Quinn, you expressed an interest in the Mega Evolution program and that battle showed me exactly what I want to see in a prospective candidate. Therefor I’m going to move you over right away, which means you can choose one of the pokemon specially bred for the program!”

“Thank you, Sycamore!”

“Not at all! It is I who am grateful! Now, I was rather hoping you might consider taking the Charmander you battled. She’s a prodigy but may take… confidence to handle.”

“She’s just the one I wanted.”

“Excellent!”

He shook her hand and Aisling grinned from ear to ear. Xoana could almost hear Serena’s teeth grind. 

The Charmander in question looked between them in disbelief and appealed to Sycamore’s Garchomp. The huge pokemon’s lip peeled back, revealing her saw-like teeth and she growled low. The Charmander snorted steam and sulked over to Aisling’s side, ignoring Bree’s offered paw.

“And Mme Pascal, you wanted to be in the mega evolution program as well, correct?”

“Yes, Professeur.”

“And so you shall be!” Thank the gods. “Chose any that you want.”

Xoana was not surprised when she picked a Squirtle. He reached up to shake his trainer’s hand and waved at his new teammates.

“Mme Bellamy.” She looked up at him. “You did not express interest in the mega evolution program on your application, but I would love for you to participate.” Xoana gaped at him. “I think you’d make an excellent fit.”

“I—b-but we barely won that battle!”

“But you did win, when by all rights you should have lost.” Now that was a backhanded compliment if she ever heard— “Your Froakie was finished but you gave him the energy needed to continue and execute one of the best critical hits I’ve seen in a long time. That demonstrates a remarkably strong connection for a trainer so green and impressive inner power.”

Viola had something similar but— 

“He’s right,” Froabble croaked. She looked down into his eyes. “That’s why I thanked you.”

“You… really think I can?”

“Of course!” Sycamore answered her warmly, though she hadn’t meant to ask him.

Froabble gave her a quick nod.

“Alright then—I mean, thank you! It’s such an honour! I’m very excited to—I accept—”

“Very good!” Sycamore interrupted before she could spew any more nonsense. “Select your new companion.”

Xoana considered carefully, but it wasn’t a difficult choice. Bulbasaur were the cutest and the one she had battled seemed mellow enough to get along with. He shuffled over when she pointed and used a vine to greet her and his new teammates.

“Mme Chastain, I notice you have no additional pokemon yet, which is understandable given the nature of your research, but I believe I have a solution for you. And Mme Fitzroy, I can’t tell you how delighted I was by your idea for a project! Very thoughtful and creative! One of my graduate students may have some interesting information to impart with regards to your chosen topic.”

“What did I tell you?” Aisling asked softly while Sycamore’s attention was elsewhere. She tried to smirk but it fell apart when Xoana beamed back at her. “Congratulations, Marquise.” 

She offered her hand and pulled Xoana in for a shoulder bump. Something like a giggle escaped Xoana and she clasped Aisling’s arm for a moment to steady herself after.

Serena was right there waiting and Xoana turned expecting a handshake and was swept up in a hug instead. 

“That was awesome, Xo. I’m so glad,” Serena said in her ear.

Moments like this had become rare—Serena had never been the touchy-feely sort and they no longer had quite the same casual intimacy as a year ago. Xoana held on tightly. 

… 

Maybe there was something there. Xoana seemed the type to hug with her entire being, but the quiet gasp and clinging fingers said more. The tension between them might be more than that of longtime friends drifting apart. Perhaps something felt but not yet spoken.

“Ah, there you are!”

Aisling turned to see who Sycamore was greeting and found a young man in a nice summer suit walking out of the lab towards them. His hair was silver at the root fading into light blue and tied in a neat bun at the back, leaving a few loose curls to frame his face. 

“Bonjour!” He greeted them with a wave and brilliant smile. “Bes told me you had some new mega evo candidates.” Aisling couldn’t place his accent other than it was foreign.

“Yes indeed! This is one of the senior program members, Steven Stone. He researches the mega stones and keystones themselves and what properties allow them to unlock a pokemon’s true potential! He and his partner Bessemer recently achieved mega evolution!”

So this was the guy with the shiny Metagross. Aisling offered her hand. 

Sycamore introduced them and Steven greeted each with warm interest and impeccable manners. Wherever he was from, his family had money. Aisling wondered about his age. To be working here he must have his license at the very least, but four or five years older seemed too many.

“Steven’s father owns a fossil revival facility so he may be able to connect you with the proper resources, Mme Chastain.”

“I’d be delighted,” he declared. “Always happy to help out a fellow fossil enthusiast.”

Tracie could only nod and Spark bounded into her arms to press up against her chest. Steven patted his Metagross’s leg to give her space and it gave him an appreciative rumble in return before they all headed back inside for the tour. 

Science wasn’t Aisling’s aim and she let herself fall to the back by Steven while Tracie pressed forward to listen to Sycamore’s explanations as they entered each lab room in turn.

“So where are you from?” Aisling asked.

“Rustboro City, Hoenn.” That explained the accent. “Forgive me for saying anything rude or strange. I’m still learning the language.”

“Oh, but you speak so well!”

That made him laugh. “I know I butcher my vowels! But you are very kind, merci.”

“Don’t listen to the central Kalos folk. They tell us provincials we don’t speak the language right either.”

They entered a new room and she let their conversation lull for a moment while Sycamore turned to them. This place was quite and interesting mix of old and new, art and science. The humming machinery was sleek and chrome with holographic touch screens thile the walls were covered in ornate wallpaper and lined with fanciful moldings.

“How did you meet your partner?” Aisling asked when she was at liberty to.

“My father acquired Bessemer for me when I was a child,” Steven answered quietly. “I have always been—” he paused, grasping for the right word, “a gigantic nerd of rocks and metal-type pokemon.” He held up his hand to show the titanium cuff and assorted rings that adorned it. He also had a single earring set with a rainbow stone. She could hang with this guy.

Their chatter and banter carried them through the rest of the tour. The current earing was ammolite but he also had bismuth and opal ones he wore regularly. His hair had gone silver as a teen and he had finally scraped together the confidence to stop dyeing it blue, resulting in the dual tone while he waited for it to grow out. He was twenty-two and had all ten badges in his home region. He was raised by his father like she had been raised by her mother. 

He returned her interest and took her playful jabs with good humor, further cementing her decision to befriend him.

“I like to look good,” he said of his tailoring. “And that’s not a very _suit_ able comment from someone sporting a jacket as interesting as yours. Why Lord Jirachi?”

“Diádh is my patron,” she answered, momentarily disarmed by the pun and teasing.

Xoana looked back at the mention of the luck god. She had never asked about the design, but perhaps she was curious. Aisling left her with that one tidbit of information and steered the conversation away.

When they arrived back in Sycamore’s office, a pair of scientists were waiting for them. The man was tall and with a mop of golden curls while the woman was quite short but looked as though she could and would snap the man clean in half over her knee. She slid off the desk and tossed her dark cascade of hair like she was reenacting a shampoo commercial. 

“This is Sina. She is researching the energy released by mega evolution.” She lacked the definition and sculpting of a bodybuilder and her exceptionally firm handshake suggested strength training as the source of her physique. “Dexio is looking into the enhanced bond between trainer and pokemon while the mega form is active.”

Everyone here was a regulation hottie. Dexio was by far the least attractive of all the lab employees she’d seen, but he was still a twink adonis if one was into that sort of thing. And other than Steven and Sycamore himself, he was the only man. Aisling was beginning to suspect some bias in the hiring process.

A knock came at the door and Steven opened it to let another man in. Forget Dexio, this asshole was _towering_. He would have had to duck through a standard door frame. His outfit was too fashionable not to be custom and must have therefor cost a fortune. Though to be fair, there couldn’t be many places that stocked his size. He also sported an elaborate and immaculate mane of red hair, as if he needed to strike a more imposing figure.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Arsène,” he said, though he obviously was.

“Not at all Thierry!” Sycamore said warmly, weaving through them all to be closer. “But you’ll be pleased to hear the Mega Evolution program has three new trainers.” The giant looked them over and Aisling evaluated him right back. “May I introduce Thierry Lysandre, esteemed entrepreneur and philanthropist.”

The looks on her friends faces showed that they knew who he was and were awed simply to be in his presence. The name seemed vaguely familiar to Aisling, but stirred none of the same emotions. But he was clearly very wealthy, close to Sycamore, and perhaps directly involved in the program, so she decided to behave.

Sycamore introduced them all and once the pleasantries were dispensed with, Lysandre launched into a speech so tiresome, it almost made Aisling break her good behavior right them. They were “the future” and “had the power to change the world”. It was like being at her lycee graduation all over again. So of course she didn’t listen to much of what he said after either, just kept her mouth shut and nodded when it seemed appropriate. Steven shifted to obscure himself from Lysandre and looked very much as though he was tuning it out as well. Xoana’s smile had turned hollow. Sina and Dexio were either good at faking it or at least somewhat invested. Tracie and Tierney were getting bored. Serena, on the other hand, hung on every word and Sycamore displayed a frankly embarrassing level of adoration. He knew they weren’t alone, right?

At last Dexio offered to take Lysandre to see whatever he was actually there for and they left, allowing the rest to talk about their projects and fill out the forms that needed doing. 

Aisling tried to talk to Steven while Serena all but interrogated Sycamore, but he was already engaged with Tracie and she let them be. Sina saw to the rest of them, switching back and forth from Tierney to Aisling and Xoana. 

Besides the timeline, there wasn’t a ton to absorb, so Aisling continued to watch the others out of the corner of her eye. Evidently Steven had divined that Tracie didn’t like eye contact and repositioned himself shoulder to shoulder facing her screen to take the pressure off. Luckily Sycamore was charmed by Serena’s intensity and gladly answered all her questions. Aisling had to admit she could be engaging, even if she was a stuck-up asshole.

She noted Xoana ogling Sina’s impressive bod with amusement and Tierney coloring every time the scientist focused on her with mild surprise and satisfaction. She kept finding ways to obscure her face and could barely string a sentence together. It occured to Aisling that she might be sensitive about her appearance. She was quite heavyset and vitiligo was rare and stark against skin as dark as hers. Something to keep in mind going forward.

“Well if that’s all taken care of, perhaps it’s time to—”

“Arrange for your accommodations while you are in the city,” Sina finished for him.

Sycamore gave an embarrassed half-chuckle. “Exactly so.”

“Well,” Xoana began. “We were hoping to stay at the Hotel—”

“That won’t be necessary.” Everyone looked at Tracie, which made her look down. “Everyone can stay at my house.”

“Tracie, are you sure?” Tierney asked in a careful tone.

“My parents are out of town, but they extended an invitation to you all and there is plenty of space.”

A beat of silence followed.

“Excellent! Well, if that’s settled you are all free to go.”

They delivered their various farewells and meandered out into the hall. Steven gave Tracie his number, which Aisling was tempted to ask for as well, and Sina gave hers to a blushing Tierney. After that she took off while Steven remained in Sycamore’s office.

“Aisling,” Serena said tentatively. 

Aisling ignored her. 

“My Queen?” she tried though it pained her.

“Yes?”

“I was hoping you might agree to accompany me to the Café Soleil for some coffee and pastries? On me?”

If Aisling didn’t know better it rather sounded as though Serena was asking her out. Too bad she didn’t care.

“Naw, I’ve got an appointment. Y’all go on without me. I’ll catch up later. Just text me your address okay, Baronne?”

Serena’s barely concealed rage was almost worth Xoana’s disappointment. She grabbed Serena’s arm and pulled her away before she could blow. Aisling waved.

She leaned back against the wall by the door and pulled out her holocaster to look at a map.

“A somewhat rude and invasive personal question, if I may?” Steven’s voice floated out of the crack in the door.

“Of course!” Sycamore said warmly. “You know they’re my favorite.”

“Have you slept with _all_ of your friends?” So she wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Maybe she would ask Tracie for his number.

Sycamore laughed. “Hoenn must be so uptight! Loosen up, mon ami. You are in Illumis, City of Love!”

“I’m fairly certain Illumis is the City of _Light_ ,” Steven muttered.

“Nonsense. Only tourists say that.”

… 

“Where the hell is she?” Serena asked for the third time that evening. “I thought you said it was a hair appointment. It’s been hours! What could possibly be taking so long?”

“A lot of things.” Xoana didn’t mean to sound so huffy but she wasn’t in the mood to address Serena’s ignorance politely. She didn’t have time to explain hair texture to her. She was too busy worrying if Aisling would notice, how they would all handle the subject if it came up, how Aisling would react.

Tracie hadn’t said anything—Tierney was doing a good job of distracting her with video games—but Xoana had to think she was just a little nervous under there. Then again, they had the house to themselves, so maybe she was getting all worked up for nothing.

The bell rang downstairs and they all poured out of Tracie’s room. Aisling stood in the grand vestibule, hair transformed from barely contained cloud to a cascade of ropey strands pinned neatly back. Locks looked good on her—right even. But where the hell had she gone that they finished in just one sitting?

Their eyes met across the double staircase and Aisling’s face took a moment to go from gaping but understandable awe to that too-big grin of hers.

“I really cocked up the nicknames, Baronne. You’re clearly the Queen of this group.” Tracie shifted her hands behind her back so Aisling wouldn’t see her wring them. “Why didn’t you tell me you were filthy rich? Like damn! Look at this fucking house!” She was laughing now.

Tierney chuckled too. “You should see the estate!” Xoana and Serena gave her reproachful looks, but she ignored them.

“Of course you have an estate. No one could have this kind of house in the middle of the capital without having a country _estate_. It’s only natural!” Aisling laughed again. “This _is **awesome!**_ ” she declared, throwing up her arms, not the least bit caring that Joffrey the Gothitelle was still standing there. “Ya gotta show me around your pad!”

That shattered the tension and Tracie started down the stairs.

Then the doors opened. 

There was no bell this time and Joffrey jumped to assist Tracie’s parents as they entered. They piled their coats into his arms which he ran to the closet before hefting their suitcases with psychokinesis and floating upstairs. Everyone remained frozen where they were as he passed.

“Théo darling!” her mother called and all four of them winced. How was it she never noticed? “What on earth are you wearing? Did you girls dress him up again?”

“We went shopping!” Xoana said with all the excitement she could muster, nearly jumping down the steps between them to be by Tracie’s side. “We haven’t been in the city for _so long!_ ”

Tierney nodded vigorously to back her up. She already had a hand on Tracie’s shoulder.

“Well, that’s what you get for having only female friends,” said Tracie’s father.

“So sweet of you to always indulge them,” her mother added. “Oh but you haven’t even introduced us to your new friend!” She turned to Aisling. “You’re in Prof. Sycamore’s program too, correct?”

“Yes!” Aisling stepped up and offered her hand. “Aisling Quinn. Wonderful to meet you.”

They both seemed pleased by her politeness and firm handshake.

“I thought you were supposed to be in Flusselles until the end of the month?” Tracie ventured.

“Yes, well, Antoine called because there’s some big issue with the supplier so your father had to come back to town to sort it out. We’ll just have to take the trip next week or whenever this blows over.” Silence again. “We had a long journey and I need to recover for a bit. You all have fun. We’ll see you at dinner!”

They all stayed where they were while Tracie’s parents climbed the other side of the staircase to their wing of the house. Tracie turned back and Aisling waited at the foot of the stairs until Xoana beckoned her to come with.

Aisling spoke to Tracie as they went down the hall. “Can I ask you something?” Fuck.

Tracie nodded.

“Do your parents know you’re a girl?” Oh… That was good.

Tracie shook her head.

“Do you want me to correct them?”

Tracie shook her head again.

“Okay.”

There was a palpable sigh of relief from the group.

“Can I still call you Baronne around them?”

Tracie smiled just a little. “Yes.”

Aisling let out a rather loud expletive as they entered Tracie’s room. She kicked off her boots and dove onto the king-sized four-poster, rolling back and forth before settling on her side with one knee crooked and her head propped up by her elbow. 

“Is this where we’re sleeping?” Then she had the gall to wiggle her eyebrows. 

“You’ll have Timothée’s room,” Tracie answered, going to her night able for the remote. 

Aisling’s exaggerated disappointment was cut short when the enormous screen descended from the ceiling so that Tracie and Tierney could continue their game. 

“Awesome! What are we playing?”

“Super Pokken Ultimate.”

“Nice! I’ve only ever played Royle.”

Aisling sent out her team to hang with the rest of the pokemon while they got set up to play. Xoana and Serena sat up on the bed while the other three sunk into bean bag chairs. Spark retrieved her extra small controller and arranged her own mini bean bag beside Tracie’s. 

Aisling was crap at Pokken. 

“I can’t believe I’m getting beaten by a Pikachu!” She cried after yet another sound defeat. Spark leaned around Tracie and chattered. “Is she shit-talking me?” Tracie didn’t answer but her face must have given it away. Aisling laughed. “You’re going down, rodent!”

Spark then proceeded to utterly thrash her for the next few rounds. Aisling yelled and laughed and fought her hardest all to no avail. When she got booted early for the fourth time in a row, she put down her controller and rocked out of her seat.

“Fuck this noise. I’m gonna play some _real_ Pokken!” Spark’s cheeks sparked. “Come here, Bree!”

The Quilladin came over and Aisling tackled her. Bree was confused at first but caught on quick and giggled and snorted as she and Aisling rolled around on the floor trying to pin each other. The ruckus was too much to play over and they all turned to spectate. Aisling threw her jacket to Xoana as sweat began to bead across her brow and Xoana clutched it tightly despite herself. Aisling was holding out surprisingly well as the two alternated between competitive and silly. Spark cheered shamelessly for Bree and even Serena had to stifle a laugh. It was almost enough to forget about the dinner looming ahead.

…

They reconvened in Tracie’s room after they were all clean and changed into their pajamas. Tracie’s parents had taken the nickname thing in stride, her mother even found it cute. Sharing a meal with them was so much easier when Xoana and her friends could counter every instance of “Théo” with something she’d chosen, assure her that she was a girl even if her parents didn’t realize it. Xoana wished she’d thought of it a long time ago.

The pokemon had been served their evening meal separately but were now allowed out to nap or play at their own choosing. Xoana had filled up the tub in Tracie’s bathroom and Froabble was in there now along with Serena’s new Squirtle. Sprout was getting along like he’d always been there. The only one who didn’t seem the least bit interested in socializing was Aisling’s Charmander. Once it was made clear to her there were no battles allowed in the house, she installed herself on the windowsill and sharpened her claws with her teeth.

“Hey, Tracie, do you have DDR?” Aisling asked.

“Yes.”

“Tierney!” She jumped. “I challenge you to a dance off!”

It took her a few moments, but she smiled. “You’re on!”

They cleared the floor and rolled the bean bags to the other side of the room. Aisling might have expected mercy when Tierney selected a lower difficulty, but Xoana and the others knew that meant she was about to show off. At the higher difficulties there wasn’t any room for flourish. At a low rank one could _dance_ and that was exactly what Tierney did.

She was good in recitals but always best when she was freestyling her own thing, at least in Xoana’s opinion. All that mildness melted away as she hopped and spun and swung her hips.

Aisling cheered and lycan-whistled even as she tried desperately to keep up. Xoana was surprised when she managed a halfway respectable score.

“Best two out of three!” she yelled like she had a better chance than a Durant against a Heatmor.

Usually Xoana was happy to watch, but something moved her and she hopped off the bed into the game. Aisling grinned and Valériane shuffled over as well now that it was no longer a one-on-one. They moved down so the Hawlucha could be next to her trainer and played on medium. Valériane got a few laughs flapping her wings, wagging her tail, and flaring her crest in her own version of dance moves. It goaded all of them to let loose a little more, which meant Xoana and Aisling sacrificed their scores to bop while Tierney continued to mercilessly flex on them on every possible level. 

It wasn’t long before Aisling demanded hard mode and Xoana bowed out to make room for Serena. She was no dancer, but precision, tenacity and practice made her pretty good at DDR. Good enough to beat Aisling’s score anyway, which was all that mattered. That victory was enough to dispel the last of her irritation and ease that last bit of tension between them all. 

Tracie jumped into a round, as did Loach and Bree after Valériane explained it to them. The Riolu did well enough all things considered, but even the easiest setting was too much for Bree. But she laughed along anyway and Aisling helped her though. Emer, Aiden and Justine couldn’t play but bounced around in solidarity. 

The rounds flew by one after another and their limbs grew heavy while their minds became more and more awake. When the rest of them were finished, Tierney and Valériane did one last duel on expert. What the Hawlucha lacked in grace, she more than made up for in speed and rhythm and she came out on top to cheers and applause.

By them it was late, but they were all far from sleep, so Tracie put on one of her favorite movies and they all sat on the bed to watch. Xoana barely noticed when Aisling lay her head in her lap—that is until she reached out to braid the hair and found it wasn’t Serena’s. Suddenly the contact sent a violent tingle up her spine.

“So, I know the plan was to stay here for a while, but should we really still be doing that?” It took Xoana a moment to realize Aisling was addressing the room and not just her. “Don’t get me wrong, this is awesome but…”

Things had changed.

“None of the other gyms are close,” said Tracie.

“And none of us are going to be ready for our second badge soon,” Aisling gently insisted. “I don’t wanna make you stay with your parents that long.”

The warm fluttering returned in force.

“It doesn’t matter what order we go in,” Tierney assured, lifting her head from the pillow snuggled under her. “Let’s just pick a direction.”

“How about west?” Aisling suggested, stretching luxuriantly. She settled even further into Xoana’s lap and rested her legs across Tierney’s back. “We could hit the beach before summer’s over.”

Now that was an idea.

“We could do Relifac-le-Haut Gym next. That’s right on the water,” said Serena.

Xoana would have to call Clément—he was expecting them—but she couldn’t say she was sorry to push that gym battle down further down the line. In fact, she began to feel something heavy lift off her shoulders, that last bit of weight she hadn’t remembered she was carrying after everything else. 

“It’s settled then! We’ll leave in the morning!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many characters and shenanigans! I tried a lot of stuff in this chapter and I hope it worked out alright. I'm also finally up to date with the pokemon character sheets and am going to try to keep pace from now on. If you want to see my interpretations of the mons you can check them out [here](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/nuzlocke_forum/tightrope-a-y-storylocke-t34473.html) in the cast tab. I will try to keep this up to date though so make sure you have finished the latest chapter if you don't want any spoilers.
> 
> This marks the end of Part One and if I was smart I would take a break, but I probably won’t be able to resist going full steam ahead to the end of Part Two at least. Thank you all so much for reading!
> 
> Team Aisling:   
>   
> Team Xoana:   
>   
> Team Serena:   
>   
> Team Tierney:   
>   
> Team Tracie:   
>   
> Graveyard:   
> 


	6. Supernova Shining Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aisling's lucky streak continues much to Serena's annoyance

Route 5 had a skatepark of all things, but maybe that was to cut down on the number wheels in the city proper. Aisling had always wanted to try skateboarding, but there wasn’t anywhere with enough pavement where she grew up. She and Tierney watched for a while—this one girl was really good—but after a bit Aisling caught sight of her Charmander crunching what looked to be the remains of a charred Minun and decided it was time to get a move on.

Most of the fields were oats or lavender so Aisling forbade Ember and had her Charmander use Scratch on her wild opponents. The restriction irked her a bit, but didn’t slow her much. She really was a ferocious piece of work, but that lust for battle was perfect for Aisling’s purposes. Honestly someone should be paying her for all the Bunnelbies and Gogoats she was clearing out of here.

Emer started squeaking about a pond so they followed her down a row to it. She dove in for a swim while the others took a drink. Her buoyant tail bobbed along the surface as she swam beneath, sending ripples across the water that made the lilypads dance—all but one. A pair of big yellow eyes peered out from under it and burrowed into Aisling. The head was amphibian in shape and covered in dark brown mud. 

Aisling leaned over. “Bree,” she whispered, “see that pokemon looking at us from the lilypads?”

Bree squinted. “Oh yeah!”

“Think you could lasso it from here?”

Bree nodded and planted herself before hauling back and firing out a vine. The pokemon ducked but Bree’s aim was true thanks to all their practice. She slid a bit in the muck near the edge and backed up onto more solid ground to reel in her catch hand over hand.

With a final yank something bright turquoise and sparkling flew out of the water and flopped heavily onto the ground. Not a Froakie, but a Croagunk of a shade Aisling had never seen. 

A shiny.

The Croagunk hopped to its feet and belched lavender mist as it struck Bree in the face with its tongue. The Quilladin flinched but her vine didn’t loosen so the Croagunk kneed her with a swift dark-type attack.  
Aisling had Bree meet the next attack with Needle Arm and the sting of her quills was enough to put the Croagunk on the back foot. Bree had it pinned and beaten less than a minute later.

Bree backed of the Croagunk and it sighed in relief but flinched as Aisling approached.

“We’re not gonna kill ya,” Bree assured it. “You can be on our team!”

Aisling tossed her ball and the Croagunk disappeared in a flash.

“Oh! Whatcha catch?” Xoana and the rest had caught up. “Comtesse just got a Snubbull.”

Aisling let the Croagunk back out and they all gasped. Tracie whipped out her pokedex.

“Is that a shiny?!” Xoana yelled. “I can’t believe it! I can’t believe your caught another one, holy shit!”

“Hail to the shiny queen!” Tierney crowed.

“Croagunk is nice, I suppose, even if it is doubling up on fighting-type.” Serena really needed to step up her shade.

“Toxicroak is the shit,” said Aisling, looking at her new shiny pokemon.

The Croagunk shifted nervously from all the attention and nearly jumped out of her skin when Bree clapped her on the back. But Bree and Emer spoke encouragingly to her while Aisling’s friends continued to freak out, and she settled down. 

Gobán slithered up to Aisling’s shoulder and hummed in pride and excitement. Her powerful Charmander settled by her feet.

The luck god still smiled on her.

… 

Serena herded them all back towards the path so that they “would reach the hotel before dark.” But they didn’t get far before a woman with a Lucario going the other way caused Serena to stop in her tracks.

“Korrina!” she yelled and waved before Xoana could identify the woman herself.

The Gym Leader waved back and skated the remaining distance to them.

“Hey Serena! Hi Xoana! How have you been?” Neither got a chance to answer. “I already know! I heard you both got into the mega evo program! That’s so awesome! Up top girls!” She offered them both a high five which Serena eagerly accepted. “I’m so pumped for us to have a real battle, so work hard okay?”

“Of course! I look forward to it!” Serena chirped. Gods the bald-faced admiration and need. It was like looking in a mirror—or a window into a past she was not keen to return to. 

Which is why Xoana looked away and noticed the Lucario getting up in Aisling’s space. She held her ground even as the pokemon’s aura sensors stood on end and her Dunsparce hissed from her shoulder.

“Artemis!” Korrina reprimanded. The Lucario stepped back. “Sorry about that…?”

“Aisling.”

“Aisling,” Korrina repeated. “Nice to meet you! You’re in the mega evo program too.” She held out her hand and glanced at her Lucario. “Artemis says you have an interesting aura. She’s never seen anything like it.”

“Really?” said Aisling, betraying nothing. “Neat!”

They didn’t get to talk for long before Serena butted back in and Xoana tuned right out. The jealousy was more than she could take. Sure Korrina was gorgeous and talented, but that kind of laser focus came at the expense of other things. Xoana just didn’t see the lasting appeal.

At some point Korrina noticed the bright turquoise frog with them and that understandably derailed the conversation for a while, though of course Korrina would never be gauche enough to ignore Serena entirely, just Tierney and Tracie.

Having been forbidden from investigating Aisling more thoroughly, the Lucario turned her attention a little more covertly on Aisling’s team, scrutinizing each in turn. If there was something odd about Aisling’s aura, would it effect her pokemon? Was that a thing? The whole aura business was more in the realm of pseudo-science except for the fact that some species of pokemon could very clearly see them. Maybe unexplored was a better term.

“Well, Artemis and I should be going but I’m so glad we ran into you all!” Good. It was almost over. “I’m sorry again about Artemis. She forgets about the proximity thing.” The irritated flick of the Lucario’s ears suggested otherwise, but she dipped her head in apology as required. “I can’t wait to see you all again in Yantreizh, especially you, Aisling.”

She skated leisurely away and her Lucario jogged behind her after one final lingering look at Aisling. Serena waved even though Korrina didn’t look back.

“ _So_ ,” Aisling began in that tone that meant she was about to start something. “How long you been nursing that crush, Comtesse?”

Xoana turned her head slowly. It was like she was being transported to a parallel universe.

“Wh-what?” Serena stuttered.

“You heard me.”

Xoana was clearly imagining this. She was having an intrusive daydream, nothing more.

“It’s not—!” Serena paused and adjusted her tone, “a crush.”

Aisling nodded, lips tightly sealed and eyebrows hitched all the way to her hairline.

“I just _admire_ her.” Serena started walking again to avoid Aisling’s increasingly triumphant expression, but didn’t have the sense to stop digging herself deeper. “She’s not that much older than us but already so accomplished. And she’s so nice, you know? And she always has been. Xoana and I have known her for years.”

Serena continued but she was no longer looking their way so Aisling leaned over and whispered to Xoana: “So I’m hearing,” she counted off on her fingers, “absolutely a crush, totally legal, deeper than that hot bod, and _years_ now. That about sum it up?”

Xoana covered her mouth but still snorted audibly. Serena came back to earth and Aisling covered her with a cough.

“Sorry.” Another totally phoney cough. “Please do go on. I’d like to hear more about her.”

Serena’s eyes narrowed suspiciously but she couldn’t resist the urge to monologue about Korrina for very long. Tierney and Tracie pulled ahead so that they wouldn’t have to participate and Xoana and Aisling stayed a step behind. Aisling leaned in again when Serena was sufficiently distracted.

“Have you tried telling her how gay she is?” 

Yes, but it wasn’t something she could do again. “Have you tried telling Serena anything?” 

Aisling laughed. 

“Maybe we should go straight to Yantreizh?” Serena fretted, turning to them.

Xoana and Aisling leaned away from each other to look a bit less like conspirators.

“Sounds great! Just a quick trip over the mountains!” 

“We could—”

“I’m joking,” Aisling cut her off. “I wanna see the beach this summer.” Serena threw Aisling her dirtiest look and opened her mouth to argue. “Besides which, we’re not ready. Don’t you think we should have at least one more badge under our belts before we face her?”

Serena swallowed whatever she was going to say and gave it another moment’s thought. “You’re right. It’s important that we be well-prepared for the Yantreizh Gym. We need to make the best impression possible on Korrina—since she’ll be judging whether we’re ready to proceed in the program.”

Xoana and Aisling nodded, trying to keep their faces serious. They let her keep talking and slowly the vision began to fade. It was slipping away like a dream upon waking and Xoana snatched at it.

“You—you see it too, right?” she asked softly.

“Oh, absolutely.” Aisling’s unqualified confidence loosened something in Xoana’s chest. Perhaps it was more than one thing. She’d been ignoring that tightness so long it was difficult to say. There were ugly emotions, tangled with the rest. She couldn’t tease out one without bringing the whole mess to the surface. Or she couldn’t before. Maybe with some more time, some more gentle loosening, she could unravel a bit more of herself. She could find where it belonged and weave it in properly.

“What’s so interesting about your aura?” Serena asked as casually as she could muster—which approximately equated to the demeanor of a detective in an interrogation.

Aisling shrugged. “Donno. Can’t see ’em.”

Serena’s eyes narrowed again. Aisling pretended not to notice, but that wouldn’t stop Serena—not when there was a challenge before her.

“Maybe we should have another battle. A rematch.”

“Sure. Sounds fun.”

They sent the newbies out first and Serena had her Snubbull use Charm right off the bat to even the playing field. Aisling had her Croagunk counter with Astonish, which succeeded in tripping the Snubbull up and reclaiming the advantage until she made the mistake of using Mud-Slap. Sure it rendered the Snubbull half-blind, but it also sent her into a frothing rage that spooked the poor Croagunk, setting her up for a Headbutt to the gut that knocked her right out of the battle. 

Aisling flinched a little and withdrew her before sending in Emer to hose the furious Snubbull down.

Serena and her new catch didn’t much appreciate the consideration. She sent in her Squirtle, only it turned out to be Justine using Illusion to close. Emer was tougher now, but Justine fought furiously to take care of the water-type and prevailed with Serena’s quick orders and encouragement.

Xoana called Emer over and tended to the downtrodden Marill rather than let her be withdrawn looking so disappointed.

The triumphant Zorua lasted mere seconds against Aisling’s Charmander, who didn’t even flinch as Serena’s actual Squirtle stepped up to face her. 

“Wait for an opening and use Scratch,” Aisling commanded clearly and calmly.

“Water Gun, Laurent!”

The moment of hesitation made it clear that these two knew each other. Shockingly the Charmander did as she was told and dodged the first volley before raking the Squirtle. He withdrew into his shell but she continued her assault until he was able to use her wind-up to nail her right in the face with Water Gun. Even the point blank hit wasn’t quite enough and she struck him savagely across the face, laying him out.

Aisling whooped and her Charmander looked down at her opponent in satisfaction, tensing in gleeful anticipation as Félicité stepped up to challenge her. Serena’s brows set and the Fennekin blasted into Íde with Flame Charge, not to do damage, but to gain speed. She danced clean away from the Charmander’s slashes with the boost and scratched up her chest and face until she fell. 

Félicité evolved from the victory, rearing onto her hind legs as she transformed. She flexed her far more dexterous paws experimentally, ignoring Justine’s excited yipping and hopping behind her, but sharing a glance and a smile with Serena.

Aisling looked to Gobán, still on her shoulder, and nodded. The flattened serpentine creature leapt gracefully down and Félicité met her with an Ember. Gobán emerged from the blaze covered in rock and knocked Félicité clean off her feet. She used Flame Charge to get clear of the next hit and scramble back up onto two legs. She danced to the side and roasted the Dunsparce again, but it didn’t do much but warm the rocky armor before Gobán rolled back out of range. Félicité took a deep breath as Gobán went into the turn, gathering herself, and blasted the Dunsparce with one continuous stream as she came in again. Serena’s fists clenched tight, willing strength into Félicité’s flames. Goban barreled into her head, knocking her down again and slamming into her a third time as she tried to rise. Félicité yelped and Justine whined.

For a moment Serena paused, but then her eyes met Félicité’s and she hung her head.

Gobán came to a halt and shed her rocky casing. Heat haze drifted off the pebbles and some of the Dunsparce’s scales were discolored. But she slithered back to Aisling, wings fluttering and pleased as anything.

Félicité forced herself to sit up, clutching at her side. Serena knelt to look her over and Justine fretted by her side.

“Good battle, Comtesse. That was even closer than last time,” Aisling remarked. “You nearly had us.”

But of course that was no consolation to Serena, who thought she should have had it in the bag. Xoana stepped in to shift her focus.

“Félicité evolved! That’s so awesome! We should all keep our eyes open for a stick she can use as a wand!”

Serena was still sullen after that, but it did get her moving on towards Fort-Vanitas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you were shocked about shiny number two, I am right there with you. I was hoping for a Crogunk because I’ve never used one and they’re rad, but I didn’t really expect to get one, let alone another shiny! I told y’all at the beginning this play through was wild.
> 
> And same goes for Aisling’s total power move in this chapter. I had a different plan for that conversation when i started writing the scene and then she just DID THAT and I had to go from there. I happy with it but it certainly shook up my plans for these three a bit.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for sticking around and I hope you all enjoyed. Prepare for Parfum Palace when we return for the next installment!
> 
> Team Aisling:  
> 
> 
> Team Xoana:  
> 
> 
> Team Serena:  
> 
> 
> Team Tierney:  
> 
> 
> Team Tracie:  
>   
> Graveyard:  
> 


	7. This is My Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang takes over Parfum Palace and engages in dumb teen shenanigans.

They headed northwest up Route 6 the next day instead of Route 5, which meant Serena had lost not one, but two consecutive arguments—a miracle in and of itself. Instead of heading directly to Yantreizh or Relifac-le-Haut, they were detouring to Palais Chaydeuvre. 

Xoana was vibrating, ready to shake apart at the seams. She hadn’t expected it either, not after so long. Maybe it was everything else going on as well. It took all her strength to hold it in.

Serena stared off at the scenery, pretending to watch her pokemon but not even noticing when Justine at last found Félicité a suitable wand. Her quiet surliness was expected, but for once Xoana felt no obligation to do anything about it. Although she did wonder if all of this had eroded Serena’s determination to apologize. 

Then the Allée-Paradis opened up before them—every tree, hedge, and topiary perfectly shaped and manicured—every flagstone in its proper place. And beyond on either side, tall undulating fields of wheat just beginning to golden. Better than every photograph and painting because it was alive and breathing and she was part of it.

Xoana skipped ahead with a squeal and spun around under the branches. When it all finally stopped spinning, she found Aisling smiling broadly at her.

Heat flushed her face but it wasn’t all embarrassment this time. In fact, that was rather a small quotient. She skipped back to Aisling’s side and hooked their arms together so that they might process down the royal causeway like proper noble ladies.

Aisling looked down in surprise and then her smile split her face. She puffed up—not unlike her Fletchling brother—chest out and shoulders back. She placed her hand over one of Xoana’s and her smile turned more intimate, less like a billboard for the whole world to see. Xoana felt her eyelashes flutter.

And that was too much—too close to so many fantasies she’d had before. She slid her hand out from under Aisling’s and found something to mitigate it. She grabbed Serena’s passing arm and pulled her in too.

… 

Maybe she had it right back at the lab—the way they both settled as soon as their arms linked. Or maybe Xoana was just trying to force Aisling and Serena to get along. She had stepped out of mediating for a bit after all. 

But then again, Serena had given in awfully quick last night. Tough to blame her. Aisling had almost found herself begging right alongside Xoana, except that she couldn’t give Serena the satisfaction—not yet anyway.

Aisling gestured grandly with her spare hand before putting it in her pocket. “Shall we?”

They started moving again and fell in step with each other. It was a beautiful day and things could be worse.

Xoana gasped when the perfectly cubic trees fell away and the palace itself stretched before them. Aisling smiled fondly for a moment only to notice her expression mirrored on Serena’s face.

“Wait, what’s that?”

Their heads snapped forward to look. There was an enormous furry mound where the main gate should have been.

They stopped in front of it and stared upward. A peaceful snoring filled the silence.

“What is a Snorlax doing here?” Serena asked. “Do you think it’s guarding the entrance?”

“It’s supposed to be open,” said Xoana, sinking.

“Bree, could you ask this mon what’s up?”

She nodded and went up to him. “Snorlax! Excuse me, Snorlax!” Bree called, vigorously shaking a paw twice the size of her head.

No reaction. 

Tessa was next to try and climbed up on its stomach. When that didn’t work, Sprout started to tug on a leg with his vines. Some of the other pokemon started prodding and calling to it, all to no avail. Íde opened her mouth to torch one of its feet, forcing Aisling to reprimand her lest they piss it off.

But after another ten minutes went by without success, Aisling began to think her Charmander had been right. Tessa had fallen asleep on the Snorlax’s stomach and Félicité looked ready to burst a vein trying to force psychic energy out of her new wand. 

Aisling stepped back a bit to evaluate their predicament. There was no way around it. The Snorlax was completely blocking the ornate, gilded gates and the adjacent wall ran the circumference of the palace and gardens. It was past opening according to the website, but the only soul around was the slumbering beast that blocked their path.

Xoana drooped.

“Alright, I’m going up,” Aisling declared.

“Wait, what—?” Tierney began, but by then Aisling was already clambering up the Snorlax’s side, pulling herself up by its fur. 

The pokemon’s head rested against the gate, squishing its already squat neck down to nonexistent. It snored, mouth open and drool dribbling out. There were no front teeth to make room for the long tongue that was poking out just a little, but there were canines as big as Aisling’s thumb. Its breath smelled somewhat comfortingly of fermented plants, but only fools thought herbivores would pass up meat if given half a chance, or that only carnivores were dangerous.

Aisling stood slowly and carefully on its chest, taking half a step back from her first idea. It was then she saw two men and an impeccably groomed Furfrou running up to the gate from the other side.

“Are you a trainer?” the older of the two called, huffing from the exertion.

“Yeah!”

“Thank the gods!” He stooped to catch his breath.

“Could you help us dislodge this fellow?” The younger man asked for him. “He’s always trying to get in at night and we can’t get the gate open with him sleeping against it.”

“Sure. My friends and I can take care of it.”

Aisling squatted back down, grabbed the Snorlax by his chubby cheeks and shook.

“MY QUEEN!” her friends chorused in horror, but the Snorlax didn’t wake. Worth it.

Aisling delivered her verdict: “I think we’re just gonna have to attack it.”

“Seems rude to start a battle when he’s sleeping,” said Emer, though she didn’t sound firmly against it.

Aisling’s Croagunk croaked.

“You know Wake-Up Slap? Why didn’t you tell us before?” Bree asked.

Maeve trilled, throat sack bulging, and crossed her arms.

“I wouldn’t let that happen,” said Bree. “Come on, I’ll go up with you.”

Aisling offered her hand and Maeve hopped from foot to foot for a moment before taking it, careful not to touch Aisling with her red finger. Aisling had forgotten that hazard. She should really be reading the pokedex entries more thoroughly.

Once the Quilladin and Croagunk were aboard, Aisling slid back off. Sprout grabbed Tessa with his vines and pulled her clear. Everyone was ready. Maeve looked around at their expectant faces and wrung her hands.

“Wake-Up Slap!” Aisling commanded.

Maeve squeezed her eyes shut and struck the Snorlax across the face. The slap resounded around the courtyard, bouncing off the palace walls and back. 

Nothing… not even snoring. Then a rumbling began. Bree swept Maeve up over her head and scurried down as the rumble turned to roaring and the Snorlax scrabbled clumsily to his feet.

A combined cry rang out as the pokemon rushed him in a show of force and unity. Emer blasted him in the face with Water Gun and was rewarded for her smart strategy by being punted all the way to the bushes. Xoana cried out for her, but Aisling was confident the little Marill would bounce back, which she did a few moments later. 

The Snorlax took a swipe at them all but Sprout and Bree grabbed his arm with their vines, halting him for a moment before he yanked and both were airborne. Bree used the momentum to swing around and kick him in the side while Sprout reeled in to attach himself firmly, taking advantage of the confusion to drain the Snorlax with Absorb.

Tierney’s Hawlucha came to the rescue at her call, plucking Sprout from the Snorlax’s arm before he could do it himself and thus clearing Spark for and electric attack. Félicité followed up with an Ember. The tip of her wand ignited as it was supposed to, but the fire started creeping down towards her hand and she was forced to stop. 

The Snorlax swung but Laoch used Counter which made him stagger and Valériane followed with a Karate Chop to his shoulder.

“Ember, Íde!” 

The Charmander released a blast that looked closer to Flamethrower.

“Gust, Finley!”

The Combee zipped behind Íde and stoked her teammate’s attack into a wall of fire that all had to shy away from. The Snorlax threw up an arm to shield his face and backed away. Maeve and Froabble kicked him in the side to steer him further and he broke into a run, shaking the ground as he retreated. 

“Ha! Nice work all!” said Aisling.

She offered high-fives to her fellow trainers and Bree copied by offering the same to her teammates. Íde tapped her paw a bit grudgingly, but Maeve was enthusiastic. All seemed at least somewhat satisfied besides Félicité, who rubbed at her charred wand, and Justine, who drooped in embarrassment at having provided the faulty weapon.

“Thank you all, truly!” The older man declared, helping the younger to open the gate.

“We used to have a pokeflute to deal with those brutes but it’s on loan to Fort-de-Vanitas for an exhibition.”

“I am Baron Agreste, Caretaker of Palais Chaydeuvre and this is my eldest son Gabriel.”

Xoana looked about ready to bow so Aisling stepped forward and offered her hand, giving each man a hearty shake. If they didn’t like it, they didn’t show it and greeted the rest the same.

“We really must repay you for the trouble. Would you all care for a tour?”

Xoana stifled a squeal.

“That’s awfully kind of you. We’d love one.”

It turned out Palais Chaydeuvre was a combination of traditional museum and historical site with some rooms featuring exhibitions of various kinds while others were preserved and restored to represent what the Palace was like when it was still the royal residence. It had the typical museum staff, but Baron Agreste and his family lived there. Apparently they had been in charge of the palace’s upkeep since it was built and this somehow had not changed when it was seized by the government of the people. It was possible his ancestors had sided with the revolutionaries. That part was unclear.

Xoana was delighted the entire time and the baron was pleased to have someone so enthusiastic. His son disappeared, no doubt to do whatever the baron was meant to be doing while he escorted them around instead. The Furfrou was unbelievably bored and more than once tried to slip away only to be called back before she could get very far.

Serena said little, but she knew Xoana’s tastes well. More than once she pointed out something that had Xoana skipping over to look. 

Tracie stopped in front of a painting and tilted her head. “What’s this?”

“That is thought to be the earliest depiction of mega evolution. For the longest time no one knew what is was.” Aisling stopped to give it a closer look. A small human figure stood in the foreground holding something bright and shining aloft while behind them reared what might have been a huge and monstrous Gyarados with greatly exaggerated fins and red and black mixed in with the usual blue. “It was in one of the rarely used bedrooms and no one paid it any mind. But after mega evolution was discovered, a guest identified it and we had someone come in to evaluate it. Since then we’ve moved it out here and many scientists and art historians have come to see it.”

Age and abstraction made the confusion understandable, but it was still evocative somehow. It certainly tugged on Serena, who was leaning over Aisling’s shoulder and seemed not to notice.

“Ya’ see that, Comtesse?” Serena stiffened at how close Aisling’s voice was to her ear. “Coming here was in line with our program. We had a good battle to strengthen our teams and now we’re doing extra research on mega evolution.”

Serena retreated and crossed her arms but gave a huff that made Xoana smile.

… 

Xoana didn’t want to leave the luxurious halls but it would have been a shame to come all this way and not see the famously beautiful palace gardens and grand scupturework. And truth be told they were all tired of staring at things on walls and in glass cabinets and getting drowsy from the palace’s stuffy air. 

The baron had left them before lunch, so they were free to wander as they pleased. 

It was comfortably warm out and the light breeze smelled incredible. The lilacs must have been in bloom. Xoana sighed as they wandered across the bridge and stopped to look at the bronze Gyarados fountain in the middle of the lake.

Aisling offered her arm and Xoana nearly followed the urge to take it before the baron came running up. Aisling stretched expansively. Maybe she hadn’t meant to offer it?

It was difficult to make out much before he caught his breath, but Xoana soon figured out he was pleading for their help finding his “lost” Furfrou. That seemed rather unlikely, but the poor old man appeared genuinely distressed and she agreed to look.

Justine had the best nose and seemed eager to be of use after the faulty wand business earlier, so they followed her lead around the gardens. Tierney got sidetracked capturing a lily Flabébé, but caught up with them before the scent trail lead them into the grand hedge maze.

“I think we should fan out, yeah?” said Tierney.

And so they did, though a bit reluctantly. 

It took Xoana a little while to realize that it was Aisling twittering and not some bird. It was hard to whistle back through her smile, but she tried her best. Tierney was next to catch on, responding with a pretty good imitation of Valériane’s hoarse croaks after each of Xoana’s calls. Then Tracie followed, cooing like a Pidove. Finally Xoana heard Serena’s patented sigh from a nearby hedge followed by her best attempt at a Swanna’s trumpet.

Aisling cracked up and the rest of them folded like a house of cards. Even Serena chuckled quietly on the far side of the hedge. 

It was then Xoana saw the Furfrou standing in the t-intersection in front of her, once flawless la reine trim covered in dirt and tangled with twigs and leaves. Xoana stopped and the Furfrou looked at her, eyes wide. She gave one swift tug but her long ear was snagged in the hedge. The Furfrou then held perfectly still.

“Found her!” Xoana yelled to the others. There were whoops and the patter of footsteps as they all attempted to converge. “Let me help you get out of—”

The Furfrou yanked herself free and bolted.

“Oh no, I scared her!” 

“Nah,” said Froabble, already hopping after her. 

Justine wriggled under the hedge separating them and took off running while Serena and her other two probably had to double back.

“Then why did she run?” Xoana called after her pokemon, joining the pursuit. “Wait!” she called the next time she caught sight of the Furfrou, but she didn’t.

They all met Tierney and Laoch down a corner, but the Furfrou dove down another path. Next Tracie and Spark had her cut off, but the section was wide and the Furfrou rushed her. Tracie dove to the right, but the Furfrou had faked her out and jumped clean over Spark to get away.

Tierney pulled Tracie up and they were right back in it. The Furfrou tried to make a turn but Aisling and Bree were there so she kept going with a startled yelp. Serena and Félicité almost had her, but she escaped once again, this time towards the outer part of the maze.

“Dammit!”

“Comtesse stay on her!” Xoana yelled. The pause gave the Furfrou a lead, but Serena and her three canines took off after her. Serena was by far the best runner in any case and Xoana was confident she would catch up. The rest of the pokemon had converged. “Valériane get us an aerial view!” 

“Finley you too!” Aisling called.

“Okay, we have to get her into the Chandelure quadrant,” Xoana told them. “It has the most dead ends and only five exits. My Queen, you skirt around the Delphox quadrant and try and flank her. Vicomtesse, same with the Pyroar quadrant. Baronne, take the middle path and I’ll take the hedgerow.”

They all split off again and Aisling offered her a little salute as she rounded the corner. Moments later they were all out of sight. Xoana whistled and they all sounded off with their fake bird calls.

Their quarry was wily. She knew this maze like the top of her paw. But they had numbers and a strategy now. The Furfrou tried to hide in the Delphox quadrant but Aisling and Serena flushed her out. Next she took the diagonal to the Pyroar quadrant but Tierney and Tracie drove her away.

“Valériane says she’s headed towards the fountain,” Froabble informed her.

They were close and they booked it. Xoana could see the Furfrou coming but she wasn’t going to make it in time. She, Tessa and Sprout weren’t fast enough. 

“Go Froabble! You can do it!” 

The Froakie pulled ahead of her, a bright blue blur against the dull path.

“Water Pulse the fountain!”

He dove in and the water lit like a beacon. Xoana felt something warm and tingling and almost electric—something _powerful_ —flow out of her and the water surged upward and spread. The Furfrou took one terrified look up at the wall of water and turned, spraying gravel, before fleeing into the Chandelure quadrant. 

“YES!” Xoana cried with a hop as the water crashed back down. “She’s in!”

Froabble hopped back out of the fountain as a Frogadier and they high-fived as she ran past back into the maze. From their calls, everyone else had made it to one of the other entrances and it was time to close in.

The Furfrou went south first but Tracie and Tierney blocked her in. Aisling and her team had split and blocked all the west outlets, so she ran north only to be confronted by Serena. Her only remaining option was to run back towards Xoana, then turn down one of the dead ends to dodge Froabble’s leap.

Xoana chased her into the dead end and dove atop the Furfrou before she could decide her plush coat could maybe make it through the hedges after all.

“I got her!” 

Her friends cheered and the Furfrou groaned.

“Gods I’m so sorry!” Xoana told her, scrambling off the poor pokemon. “I wasn’t even thinking! We shouldn’t have been chasing you. Did I hurt you at all? I’m so sorry!”

The Furfrou picked herself up and grumbled.

“She’s okay,” said Froabble, hopping to Xoana’s side. “And she’s says we’re forgiven for catching her because that chase was the most fun she’s had in months.”

Xoana doubted him but then the Furfrou smiled.

Sprout and Tessa finally caught up and the Teddiursa flopped down to catch her breath. They all laughed at that while they waited for the rest to find them.

… 

Xoana was a little worried the baron would be angry with how filthy and bedraggled his refined companion had become—and how they’d been chasing her all around the maze like some kind of escaped convict—but he was simply overjoyed to have her back safe and thanked them all profusely for their trouble. 

The Furfrou rolled her eyes and Xoana began to suspect firstly, that the baron couldn’t understand her, and secondly, that her sneaking off to be rowdy and get dirty was a somewhat regular occurrence.

“You know it is getting rather late and I feel simply terrible about enlisting you all twice in one day. What do you say to staying here for the night?”

“In the palace?” Xoana asked, certain she had somehow misunderstood.

“We have rooms set up for family visits and special events. There are plenty for each of you to have your own.”

Xoana actually felt faint and she might have wobbled because Aisling put her hand on the small of her back to steady her. Serena stepped up to answer for her.

“That’s so kind of you, sir. We’d love to.”

“It’s the least I can do. There are fireworks after dinner to celebrate Fin-de-la-Tyrannie.” Xoana had completely forgotten that was today. “You can all watch from one of the private balconies. Once the visitors have gone, we’ll show you to your rooms.”

Xoana barely kept it together long enough for the baron and Furfrou to leave. Then she was bouncing up and down and hugging everyone and telling Froabble he was the best pokemon in the world.

…

The day really couldn’t have gone any better—ill-advised pokemon shenanigans included. Even after all the battling and running, Xoana was full to the brim. She was ready to do it all again right now, but part of what made it all so wonderful was that she couldn’t. So she swayed instead, hugging herself as twilight set in.

Aisling stepped out onto the balcony behind her and Xoana didn’t need to turn around to know she was smiling.

“I’m so excited! I haven’t seen many fireworks before.”

“Me neither,” said Aisling, coming to stand next to her by the railing.

“Today was amazing. I’m never going to forget it. We haven’t even seen these fireworks yet, but I know I’ll never forget them either. So thank you for everything you did to help make it so special.”

“It was my pleasure,” Aisling purred in one of her usual self-assured tones. Then she paused, shifted her weight, leaned both arms on the balcony. When she spoke again all trace of teasing, confidence, and irony was gone. “Thank you for inviting me along on this whole thing. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Xoana leaned on the balcony too, edged a little closer until they were almost touching.

“I’m glad you came.” Now that was bold and bordered on innuendo. Aisling bumped her shoulder and Xoana looked up at the sky to try and focus on something else. “You add a lot to the group, something we were missing. I think we’ve all been having more fun with you. I know I have at least.” She was rambling now, but she didn’t dare stop. “You’re really something else, you know? That’s part of why this day was so incredible, and how I know the rest of it will be.”

Xoana looked down at their hands and saw Aisling’s reaching for hers. Her heart skipped a beat and the moment slowed.

Serena walked onto the balcony behind them and Aisling set her hand back on the railing and turned away.

“The Comtesse graces us with her presence.” 

Serena snorted, but with less than her usual derision, and stood by the railing on Aisling’s other side. Despite everything, she’d had fun as well.

Xoana knit her fingers together and stared at them. Had Aisling really been about to make a move on her? Would she have gone through with it if Serena hadn’t shown up? Did Xoana want that?

She was chewing on the inside of her lip and sensation was leaving her fingers.

But how much of that was Aisling and how much was the want that had been aching in her for years? She’d wondered the same about Serena and even now she wasn’t sure of the answer.

“Ais—” Serena stopped herself, started over. Xoana glanced over and Serena met her eyes instead of Aisling’s even as she said her nickname. “My Queen.” She blinked and shifted her focus to Aisling as she acknowledged that she was listening. “I’m sorry for what I said about Daire.” 

Aisling tried not to show it, but her shoulders hunched and her knuckles strained on the railing. 

“I truly didn’t mean to imply it was anything other than a tragic accident. I was shocked and spoke carelessly. I apologize and I will do my best to not be as insensitive in the future.”

Xoana thought she heard Aisling’s teeth grind, but a quiet thanks passed her lips. 

They actually did it!

But after that there was stiff silence rather than catharsis. Maybe they weren’t ready yet, but at least they had tried. Xoana caught Serena glancing at her again. Maybe they had tried for _her_. They had both spent the day trying to make sure she was happy. The least she could do was try the same for them.

She dug around for the joy and energy she’d been overflowing with only a few minutes ago and slid between them, putting her arms around both of their shoulders.

“Fireworks with friends is the best! Thank you both for today.” She gave their shoulders a squeeze and they smiled.

Then the first firework went up, making any further conversation impossible. Tierney and Tracie came running out to join them and they all watched together. 

Xoana cheered and applauded and hopped up and down, pulling everyone into the excitement with her. She let the bright colors fill her vision and the sound fill her chest with its booming.

It really was beautiful, even if it was over a bit too soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Flabébé Tierney captures in this chapter was my original catch for Route 7 that I fully intended to use until I ran into a shiny Crogunk two minutes later. Thus she wound up boxed and I gave her to Tierney because she can also learn a dance move like the other two I've foisted upon her.
> 
> I knew the palace was gonna be a big deal going in because it's right up Xoana's alley (also gayyyy) but I wasn't sure what bits I was going to use at first. I almost tossed the Furfrou chase but then it occurred to me as a prime opportunity for the squad to be dumb teens and it had to stay. It's easy to forget with how smart and mature a lot of teens are that they are still liable to pull silly stunts. I'm a sucker for respectful portrayals of this age group that don't turn them into mini adults, so here's my ongoing attempt.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Team Aisling:  
> 
> 
> Team Xoana:  
> 
> 
> Team Serena:  
> 
> 
> Team Tierney:  
> 
> 
> Team Tracie:  
>   
> Graveyard:  
> 


	8. Champagne In My Chalice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang explores the palace at night

Aisling snooped around her luxurious palace room after the baron and his son left them for the night. She wasn’t all that familiar with a lot of what she was looking at, although at least a few things she had learned earlier that day had stuck. Enough to know the nicely decorated little trunk in the corner next to the mirror was a dowry box. She opened it up and accidentally bumped the wall behind it, so she moved the disappointingly empty trunk to make sure she hadn’t done any damage. 

Oh fuck there was a scratch! No, wait, just a seam where two strips of paper met—or not quite. There was something like a draft across the back of her hand. Aisling ran her hands over the wall and found nothing so she investigated the ornate frame around the adjacent mirror and found a metal button on the side that she pushed in. The mirror swung open.

A secret door! Holy shit! 

Aisling peered through the darkness. It was a short, cramped passage. The walls were lined with dark fabric and gave a little at her touch. It ended in another secret door, the twin of the one she had come through. Should she open it? Where did it lead?

Xoana’s room. Couldn’t be anywhere else, not with the spacing as it was. Perfect! She was gonna flip. Aisling grabbed the handle.

Then she stopped. She thought of the hug at the lab, the walk to the palace, watching the fireworks, about the private looks Serena and Xoana shared. Maybe it was a done deal and she’d only get shot down. But she wanted it.

She’d just have to take her chances. 

Aisling knocked and heard a muffled and confused answer. She opened the door and leaned against the jamb, cocking her hip and stretching languidly so that one hand rested above her head.

“Hello, luv. Mind if I join you?”

Xoana open-mouth gaped at her. She was sitting on the end of the bed in fucking adorable—somewhat revealing—pink, Buneary-pattern pajamas. Aisling might well have hoped for this had she given the scenario more thought, but as it stood she was quite unprepared and felt heat rush to her face.

“Aisling?” **Fuck**. That little tremble was not allowed. How the hell was she supposed to maintain composure? “Is that a _secret passage?!_ ”

Aisling belatedly opened her mouth to answer but Xoana was already screaming. She squeezed past because Aisling didn’t have the sense to move. Then she went back to look at the door and started bouncing.

“How did you find it? How does it work? Do you think it’s a lover’s passage? It’s between two bedrooms so it has to be! Who do you think lived here? Who built it? AAAAAH!! This is so cool!”

Well, this was not going at all how Aisling pictured, but maybe this was better. It certainly felt like relief to try and answer the hows instead of the whys. And there was no denying it was nice to see Xoana all revved up and excited again—passionate in another way. She was so fucking cute and really fun too. It was tough not to be infected by her enthusiasm and Aisling would never want to resist it. 

Xoana’s excited gushing turned quiet and conspiratorial. Aisling leaned in to listen more closely.

“This sort of thing was actually popular with monarchs to make it easier to spend time with their lovers—particularly lovers of the same gender.”

Aisling bit back a remark about that being relevant to the current situation and grinned instead, which made Xoana giggle and slap her shoulder.

“This is so fucking cool though! I wonder if there are other secret passages.”

“Why don’t we find out?”

…

The halls were dark and moonlight poured in stark beams across the ornate rugs that dampened their footsteps. They inspected the mirrors of the the north hall and peered into the shadow of every portrait. They crept into one of the many parlors and poked around the shelves and side tables.

Suddenly there was a growl behind them and Xoana turned to see the shine of tapetum lucidum from the darkness. The creature lunged with a snarl, knocking Xoana into Aisling and bearing both of them to the ground. Paws pressed into Xoana’s back and Aisling cocked her fist.

“Aroo?”

The pokemon backed off them into the one of the shafts of light, revealing the Furfrou from earlier, only she was once again perfectly groomed and glowingly white. She huffed.

“Oh, right,” said Aisling and opened one of the pokeballs on her belt. Emer materialized from the red flash and squeaked in greeting. “Tell her we were just exploring.”

The Furfrou and Marill started chattering back and forth and it was then Xoana realized she was still on top of Aisling and got off. Aisling straightened out her pajamas and reagusted the belt slung around her hips, nodding at whatever her pokemon was saying. Xoana rubbed her bare foot on the rug waiting for a verdict.

“Duchesse says we may continue as long as she comes with us and we don’t wake up the baron.” Xoana looked for some sign Aisling was pulling her leg. “She knows where a few interesting things are.”

Xoana hugged the Furfrou before grabbing Aisling by the hand and pulling her on to the next room.

… 

Not long after they were in front of Serena’s door. They grinned at each other and knocked.

Her reaction was worth it, as Aisling expected. She blinked owlishly and stumbled over her first sentence.

“What are you—is everything alright?”

“Yep!” Xoana piped, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

Serena opened the door a little wider. She was in a loose pink tee and magenta loungers. Aisling had become accustomed to her sharp outfits and well-fitted sportswear, but this was a new look and more challenging than she’d expected. 

“Queen found a lover’s passage and now we’re going to find more! Come with us!”

“What? When? How did—”

“No time to explain!” Aisling cut her off impatiently. “The night waits for no one!”

“Come on, Ser!” Xoana bounded inside and grabbed her arm. Aisling grabbed the other and they tugged her towards the hall.

She resisted at first. “Wait! Should we really be doing this?”

“The palace guard is with us!”

“All on the up and up, Comtesse!”

Serena’s face was growing pinker by the second and she twisted out of Aisling’s grip. “Alright! Just give me a moment!” She grabbed her bag and let them shove her out the door. 

Tierney was next.

“Why are you all up again?”

“We’re going to explore the castle!”

“Didn’t we already—”

“ _At night!_ ”

“Haha! Okay!”

Duchesse extended an invitation to all the pokemon as long as they didn’t touch anything and they let them all out as Xoana explained things.

“You found a what? For real? And there are more?” By the time they reached Tracie’s door, Tierney was the one pounding on it excitedly.

Tracie answered almost immediately. “Excellent, I could use your help with something.”

That stopped them all dead and she waved them in distractedly. The room was a bit tight for all of them so Bree, Finley, Loach, and Duchesse stayed in the doorway.

“I found this Klefki in the desk and caught her,” Tracie explained, gesturing to the pokemon floating above her bed, “but I think her keys belong to the palace.”

The Klefki waved a gilded key at them and Duchesse growled. Yeah, they weren’t getting her out of here without getting those keys off her.

“Spark says she’s willing to trade.”

Duchesse sat back down, seeming somewhat mollified.

“New plan!” Xoana declared, fist clenched and eyes alight, “Scavenger hunt to find the locks that match these keys, if we get them all, Duchesse will show us something cool!” She looked over at the Furfrou to confirm and she nodded, trying not to grin. Leave it to Xoana to turn their night of teen shenanigans into a quest to help their hosts. Aisling didn’t try to hide her smile.

Tierney let out a whoop that made them all shoosh her and they laughed quietly as Tracie gathered things to trade. Duchesse appeared to already be deputizing the other pokemon as Bree, Laoch, Sprout and Félicité all saluted her.

The first key—small, plain and patined from age—belonged to the desk Tracie had found the Klefki in. Spark gracefully accepted the praise for her cleverness and Tracie traded the key to her safety deposit box for it.

The next was an ornate, bronze and went to a dish cabinet in one of the exhibition halls. Tierney taught Loach a high five to celebrate his find and Tracie handed over the key to her family’s townhouse.

A large silver one opened the doors to a veranda and they all enjoyed the night air for a bit before heading back inside. Tracie gave her Klefki the master key to her parents’ estate in exchange.

Another went to a writing desk, which contained a series of letters that proved too racy for Serena, but which Aisling was more than happy to read aloud until Xoana’s ears turned red and she insisted they continue. Tracie dug out the key to her vacation home as an offering for it.

One went to a dowry chest which contained a dress that probably cost as much as a house. Aisling tried to convince Xoana to try it on but she refused until Tracie said she would instead. They had Bree take a picture of them all bowing before her radiance and she tossed the Klefki what on second glance Aisling recognized as a Kingdom Key charm from that hearts game.

The penultimate key was by far the most puzzling and the Klefki was reluctant to let them examine it since it was the first she had acquired. When she finally could be persuaded to show them, it was tiny and gold with teeth in two directions rather than one and sparkling blue gem set into the handle.

“Do you think—no, it can’t be…”

“You’re the expert, Marquis. Any guess of yours is worth sharing.”

Xoana blushed again. Aisling was becoming addicted to them.

“I just thought, well, maybe it’s the key to the Wisteria Trellis Egg? It’s the right size and it would match the gold vines and sapphire at the top.”

“That’s brilliant, Xo!” Aisling might have been annoyed at Serena beating her to the punch if not for Xoana’s blush deepening.

“We don’t even know if that’s right! The baron said it hasn’t been opened in centuries!”

“What are we waiting for?” said Aisling and Duchesse barked in agreement.

… 

They followed the Furfrou to the display case and Xoana briefly wondered how they would bypass the security measures, but Duchesse had Bree open a panel with her nails and she pressed her nose to the screen behind it. The system accepted her nose print and voice verification and one of the glass panels slid down into the pedestal to allow them access. 

The egg really was a an awe-inspiring piece of craftsmanship. It was covered in amethyst, tanzanite, lavender chalcedony, and purple spinel that gave the wisteria a glowing luster and sparkle as well as an authentic mottling of color. The trellis was gold and the background was sage green enamel. The top was crowned with an impressively large and richly colored sapphire.

Duchesse nudged Xoana’s thigh and she leaned down to carefully insert the tiny key. The sides split in four and slowly opened like a flower to reveal a silver Swanna with a gold beak and zircon chest resting on a lake of aquamarine. The tiny Swanna reared and flapped its wings, stretching its neck before settling back down. 

“Wow,” Tracie’s voice broke the silence. 

Tierney and Serena laughed. 

Aisling whistled. “You said it.”

Xoana’s throat was too full to add anything and she sniffed, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Aw, Xo.” Serena put her hand on her shoulder. 

“It’s s-so romantic,” she sobbed. 

“Swanna is eternal love and devotion, yeah?” said Aisling. 

Xoana nodded and turned to bury her face in Serena’s neck to hide her tears. Serena held and patted her consolingly. 

“It’s okay, Xoana,” said Tierney. 

“Just about teared up myself,” said Aisling. 

A wet giggle escaped Xoana at the thought and a minute or so later she had collected herself and dryed her tears on the front of her shirt. Duchesse gave her another gentle nudge and she carefully closed the egg and locked it, laying the tiny key reverently beside it before Duchesse resealed the case. 

The Klefki jingled and spun one of her keys. Xoana had totally forgotten about it. It was large, heavy, plain, and so unlike the others that for a moment she wondered if belonged. 

“Must be for a door or gate,” Tracie speculated.

Duchesse nodded and trotted off, calling for them to follow. She lead them to a small sitting parlor and pointed at a sconce on the wall. Aisling gripped it and pulled. With a metallic click, the bookshelf swung forward, revealing a narrow set of stairs leading down into the dark. Íde went first, tail flame flaring to illuminate the way for them. A heavy oak door stood at the bottom and the key fit perfectly. 

On the other side lay a sprawling room and Íde spit fire to light the torches. Weapons and armor from many eras and used by many pokemon and humans lined every inch of the bare stone walls and even more was piled into the corners. They all spread out to look, including their pokemon, and Duchesse’s tail wagged as she yipped to them. 

Before long the Furfrou had Froabble and Laoch fitting her with burnished steel plate armor and regaled them with some tale of her ancestors, strutting and pouncing for her audience. Bree, Laurent, and Loach seemed particularly spellbound and Tessa listened intently, head tilted in confusion.

“She says it was one of her granddams that stopped the palace from being sacked,” Sprout explained. He must have noticed her staring. “She went to the rebel army by herself and made an accord that saved her humans and all the pokemon that worked here.” Now that was a piece of history Xoana certainly hadn’t learned in school.

“So odd,” Tessa muttered.

“What is?” Xoana prompted.

“The war. I’d heard of it, but none of my ancestors fought in it so I didn’t know much about it before.”

“Look, Loach! Lucario armor!” Tierney cried.

The Riolu raced over and tried on the helmet with Duchesse’s blessing. The Flabébé Tierney had caught in the garden giggled herself silly at how comically large it was on the Riolu and Valériane toppled a rack of spears in her stumbling mirth, which Félicité and Bree had to help her set right.

Xoana was starting to get tired despite the excitement and sat down on the floor with her back against a shield. She didn’t know much about armaments and was content to pet Emer when the Marill crawled into her lap.

Tracie meanwhile was having Spark talk to her new Klefki and negotiate a trade for the remaining key. The fairy-type seemed interested in one of Tracie’s metal puzzles, but wasn’t yet convinced.

Serena inspected every item in the room as if it was her job to catalogue them. It was nice to see her so engaged after how patient she’d been earlier. Félicité picked up a carved and polished wooden staff and all her hair stood on end for a moment. The design was organic and spiraling, tapered to a small club at one end while the other was capped with silver. It burst into flames and stayed gently burning at the tip after the flash.

“Must have belonged to a palace Delphox,” said Serena and Duchesse nodded in conformation while Félicité clutched it tightly in a manner that suggested she’d never let it go. Duchesse then said something that made Félicité’s eyes shine in elation and the staff flare blue. Serena, sharp and responsible as always, was quick to jump in and make sure it was really okay for her starter to keep the weapon.

While they negotiated, Aisling pulled a sword down off a rack and the tassel grabbed her arm. She yelped and would have dropped it but she couldn’t. A gem-like eye opened on the hilt and glowed. Aisling cried out again but this time in pain rather than surprise. 

Bree was there in an instant, ready to pummel the sword with her bare fists, but Aisling held up a hand to stop her.

“Wait! It’s a Honedge!” 

Bree did as she was told, but fretted about it. Emer squeaked because Xoana was holding her too tight and Serena hovered close as well, Félicité at her side with her new wand at the ready. 

Aisling took a long breath to steady herself. “Sorry I grabbed you. I thought you were just a sword.” She let go and the long blue tassel loosened. The Honedge floated on its own and turned to survey them all. Bree moved to touch it and it slapped her paw away. “That’s a wonderful blade you got there. Éirinn make, if I’m not mistaken.” 

The Honedge did a little dip in the air that might have been a nod. 

“Would you like to have a trainer?”

The Honedge tapped the end of her tassel along her fuller like fingers. Then she dipped again and Bree chirped in excitement. Aisling offered her hand and the Honege shook it.

“But you already have a full team,” Serena pointed out.

“True,” said Aisling, unruffled as always. “I’d rather not box anyone, but a Honedge is the perfect battle partner for Bree. Just picture it once she evolves! Awesome right?” She looked around at her team and her eyes fell on her Marill. “Marquise, What do you say to taking on Emer for me?”

Xoana couldn’t help but hug her a little tighter. “You sure?”

“O’course! They’re all good mons, but let’s face it, an adorable fluff ball isn’t really my aesthetic, no matter how much ass she kicks. Besides, ya get along so well, have from the start. Maybe you was meant to have her.”

“Maybe,” said Xoana, already buoying with excitement. “Want to be on my team, Emer?”

Froabble relayed the offer and Emer looked to Aisling for permission, receiving it in the form of a nod. For a moment Xoana worried the little Marill might not take it well, but she turned and hugged Xoana’s chest, tail wagging.

This day had been so full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all thought we were done with the palace, huh? Originally these chapters were split rather differently and I’m relieved they wound up in some small semblance of order after all the fiddling. Tracie's Klefki was of course one of my later catches, but when I had this idea I decided to move her up. I have fun plans for her.
> 
> Team Aisling:  
> 
> 
> Team Xoana:  
> 
> 
> Team Serena:  
> 
> 
> Team Tierney:  
> 
> 
> Team Tracie:  
> 
> 
> Graveyard:  
> 


	9. Cut Me Up And Get Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the team kicks ass at the Battle Chateau and continues to skirt disaster

They were all woken by the summons to breakfast the next morning and shambled down to get it like a cling of Komalas. Duchesse’s head and tail drooped in drowsiness as she escorted the other sleepy pokemon to an adjoining parlor for their meals. All this went unnoticed or at least politely unremarked upon by the baron, who cheerfully inquired how they liked their rooms.

Tierney cracked first, but surprisingly didn’t spill everything, just the part about the Klefki. Xoana stepped in when she faltered, recounting what each of the keys went to as she laid them out before him. The baron was unperturbed by a truncated version of their exploits and was actually pleased that they were able to see the armory. He had meant to take them there at the end of the tour, but misplaced the key. His son said nothing, but the stiffness of his expression belied the string of unspoken questions behind his eyes.

Tracie quietly suggested they acquire a Klefki of their own so that they would not have the same problem again.

Serena then tactfully brought up that Duchesse had lent her Braixen a staff, on the condition it be returned once she had died. Xoana could tell Serena was twisting her hands in her lap with nerves, but the baron wasn’t the least upset, explaining that the most important artifacts were on display or catalogued in the archive; so much the better that the remainder be put to use rather than collect dust. 

“And I know better than to try and separate a Braixen from its wand in any case.”

Finally Xoana arrived at the part about Wisteria Trellis Egg and had to hold herself back from yelling. The baron’s son shot up out of his chair, barely excusing himself and talking into his phone before he was even out of the room.

The baron himself was tremendously excited to see it later, but confident it was there as described and insisted on seeing to them first. He was determined to show them further gratitude and they demurred until he hopped out of his chair and dashed into one of the adjacent parlors. He returned with a fountain pen and some very nice stationary.

“Since you are all such fine trainers, I would be truly remiss in not sending you on to the Battle Chateau.” He began furiously scribbling out a note. “Though I no longer frequent that hallowed hall of battle since dear Duc’s passing, I did once earn a title. I cannot grant you membership at my rank, but I can furnish you all with an official recommendation, which will get you in the door. And I am sure that will suffice with your talents.”

“Thank you so much, Baron!” Serena gushed, vibrating with excitement.

Tracie and Tierney gave each other a look but joined Xoana in thanks, as did Aisling, though she seemed much less sure why. By then they had all finished eating and Serena was quite awake and eager for them to be on their way.

Duchesse reappeared with their pokemon and the baron showed them to the gate. Serena did a slight bow, which compelled the rest to do the same.

“Thank you again for the tour and the room and the letter and the—”

“Think nothing of it, my dear mademoiselle. Thank you all for being such a wonderful help to me and Duchesse. Feel free to come back anytime.”

…

The Battle Chateau was far more of a fortress than the palace and situated on an island in the middle of Monastral River off Route 7. The reflection of its pale stone exterior almost looked like clouds on the water as they walked over the bridge. The giant, red wood doors—Xoana whispered “jarrah” reverently under her breath—were adorned with a great, gleaming bronze Solrock. Some sort of sensor set off the chiming of bells within and a pair of attendants pulled the doors open.

But after the simple, august grandeur of the outside, the inside it was every bit as stuck-up and elitist as Aisling expected it to be. Men in suits and women wearing pearls looked down their noses at Aisling and her friends. Why on earth would anyone want to come here? How were they supposed to have a real battle in the too-narrow halls full of fragile, expensive sconces? She had half a mind to grab Serena and drag them all back over the drawbridge. Better yet, they could just ditch Serena and check out the flower fields. But she knew Xoana would stay. She was already excitedly peeking over the shoulder of the staff member reading their letter at one of the richly-adorned parlors visible through the doors opposite them.

Maybe Aisling should try and be a little less resentful. Serena had apologized.

She did it for Xoana. She didn’t mean it. She didn’t care about Aisling. She thought Aisling was sloppy and overconfident.

After some quiet debate between a sharply dressed man and woman, who were apparently high enough rank to make actual decisions in this stupid club, the Baron’s letter did prove enough to warrant an entry test and they were lead out into an enormous courtyard outfitted with packed earth battlefields with rich green turf between them for the trainers and pokemon to rest on.

Maybe this whole charade was an opportunity in disguise, a chance to show all these hoity-toity assholes what she was made of.

She heard the words “double battle” and stumbled in her musings. That did put a bit of a damper on her ability to flex, but battling alongside Xoana might not be so—Serena. They had just decided she would fight alongside Serena without any input. This was the price of not being able to stick Cináed’s feathers in her hair.

Serena gave her a nervous, sidelong look as they both accepted the terms of their evaluation. She was wondering if Aisling would do something stupid or worrying that she’d wind up with three opponents instead of two. She was denser than an Aron. Did she seriously think Aisling would risk a loss just to rain on her parade? Would Serena ever think to do the same? Fuck no. Whatever bullshit rivalry was going on between them didn’t matter. There were more important things at stake. Aisling had no problem dropping it for a while, and Serena had already shown off some impressive compartmentalizing.

Aisling offered her fist and Serena stared at it like it might bite her.

“Time to earn our ranks, Comtesse.” Okay, one last dig.

Serena nodded and tapped her knuckles. They were gonna beat these blue-blood dipshits into the ground.

And it was easy, even easier than Aisling expected. They both went for their starters against a Dwebble and an Axew. Bree received the Axew’s opening Slash like it was nothing and flung the little dragon back across the open space with Needle Arm. Félicité’s new wand must have had magic still lingering within. The flames erupted from the tip in lovely swirling shapes, tinged blue from the heat. It set Serena’s fine, flaxen hair fluttering and Aisling could feel it from several feet away.

The Dwebble responded with Rock Blast but Bree leapt in front of the intended target and punched the projectiles apart. Félicité knocked the charging Axew off its path with a bright, pulsing Psybeam. The Dwebble used Feint Attack to close but Bree grabbed it with her vines and threw it at the Axew. They went down in a tumble, finished.

…

Xoana could have watched the two of them battle all day. 

She had expected a disaster. Their tension was far from solved. Yet their styles and instincts complimented each other so perfectly, it seemed as though they’d always battled together. Aisling was a heady mix of flashy confidence and intimidating eagerness. Then Serena was all smooth efficiency and lightning fast calculation. They had similar sensibilities for strategy—adapted to each other easily and without compromise. They were no longer two egos at war, but one striving relentlessly for victory.

Their dominance should have been hard to watch. Xoana choked earning her first badge and blanched at many battles before that. But now her heart pounded rather than her stomach. Maybe it was how much fun Bree was having and the grin she exchanged with Aisling? Or how Félicité was enjoying her new weapon and the look of pride on Serena’s face? Maybe it was the appreciative, almost fond glance Aisling gave Serena or the way Serena’s eyebrows climbed in surprise and something approaching admiration. They were both in their element, together, and Xoana couldn’t look away.

She wanted to battle like that. Not just with the same level of skill and drive, but with that kind of passion. She wanted to enjoy it the way they did, the way Froabble did. She wanted to be caught up in the moment, feeling the connection between her and her pokemon as strong and steady as her pulse.

But then was over and all her energy had to go somewhere. So Xoana whooped and cheered and jumped up and down, ignoring the polite applause and subdued murmuring of the Battle Chateau denizens around her.

Next the ringleaders arranged for Tierney, Tracie and Xoana to be tested in a triple battle. Her friends looked ill under all the eyes judging them. Key gave Tracie one of her metal puzzles to play with. In a few moments, her breathing evened out. Not to be outdone, Líle used Sweet Scent to calm Tierney.

That start made Xoana a bit concerned and the crowd very doubtful, but she needn’t have worried. Spark and Froabble dashed across the distance in a blink to distract the Spoink and Espurr, freeing Valériane to go after the Skiddo. Then they swapped targets, leaving both psychic-types doubly immobilized by Spark’s Thunder Wave and Froabble’s Water Pulse. A Lick across the face and a Thundershock to the pearl were enough to topple the Espurr and Spoink. With no back-up and no escape, the Skiddo soon succumbed to Valériane’s Aerial Ace.

A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd. The leading pair glanced at each other, and the woman stepped forward. “Please join me in a warm welcome of our five new members,” she said, arms held wide. “With the power vested in me by many victories, I bestow upon them all the title of Baronne. Anyone of similar rank please take them up on their challenge.”

A white, stiff-collared cloak trimmed in gold was placed over each of their shoulders by the staff—apparently white was the Baronne rank color—which must be worn by members during battles but would be kept at the Chateau. People clapped politely and offered congratulations, but as soon as the little induction ceremony ended, people were clamoring to battle them.

“Yes of course I’ll fight you!” Aisling announced, gesturing grandly with her new cloak. “Please form a queue.”

“I’m glad I picked Baronne,” Xoana heard Tracie mutter to Tierney.

“Same with Vicomtesse,” she replied.

Gods, Xoana had her work cut out for her.

Tessa was only up for one battle, but Froabble was more than willing to take over. His new form had gifted him with even greater speed and grace and he hopped rings around his opponents, netting Xoana a healthy streak of wins. 

Gasps and applause erupted on the far side of the courtyard as Finley evolved into a Vespiquen, followed by even more when Aisling sent Maeve into battle. 

By then Froabble was tired and Sprout was warmed up and ready to go. Xoana hesitated when an elderly woman sent in a Venipede but Sprout had no such reservations about his type disadvantage, so Xoana let him battle. Once again his easy confidence proved founded and he kept the bug and poison attacks at bay with his vines and used Tackle to pummel the Venipede into submission. After that it was almost easy send him in against Burmy and Ledyba.

Despite taking little damage, he bowed out at the height of his triumph with an expansive yawn and mumbled “nap time”. He sprawled out in the sun on the grass beside her and Emer bounded forward to replace him.

Aisling must have been training her hard because she evolved after her first victory. Or maybe Aisling had been right about her and Emer already having a connection. In either case, Emer was eager to try another battle with her new form and Xoana had plenty takers. 

She plowed through them. 

Most Azumarill were middlingly powerful, popular because of their relative abundance, sturdiness, and malleability. But Emer was a Huge Power Azumarill and that made her hugely strong. 

After a little awkward stumbling over her much longer legs, water erupted around her tail and and she let loose a grin so confident that it gave her opponent pause. All of her practice with Tail Whip meant that she knew exactly how to wield her weapon and the power behind her new move meant she didn’t need a second hit. She leveled four pokemon in a row before finally succumbing to a Heliolisk’s Thunderbolt.

Emer chittered with pride and pleasure as Xoana sprayed her staticky fur with a potion and checked her ears for injuries.

“Nice battling!” Aisling called, sauntering over with a big grin plastered across her face and cape flowing behind her. Xoana barely registered the ping of victory money being transferred to her account, focusing instead on Aisling’s hand clasping hers and their shoulders bumping together.

She was pulled out of it by Emer and Bree chattering excitedly beside them. Bree stopped bouncing up and down long enough to offer a fist, which Emer one-two punched, tail ping-ponging back and forth on the packed earth behind her. 

“Congrats on the evo,” said Aisling, echoing her starter.

Emer stretched all the way up on her toes, perking her ears to give her as much height as possible and Bree responded by standing taller and putting her own ears forward. Emer strained but couldn’t match her and Bree laughed, ruffling the fur between her ears with an armored paw. Emer shoved her off, giggling.

“And nice moves!” said Aisling in another bid for Emer’s attention, crouching down to offer a fist bump of her own. “I saw that Aqua Tail all the way across the fields!” Emer jumped into her arms and she hefted the Azumarill then tossed her up, which made her giggle even more. “Who’s the beast?” Emer pumped both fists and squeaked. 

“Who’s the _best_?” Xoana raised her hands and Emer twisted in Aisling’s arms to tap them. 

“I’m the best!”

Xoana gasped and them squealed in delight, starting to bounce up and down herself.

“Yes you are,” Aisling agreed fondly before lowering Emer back to the ground. “So, Marquise, the Comtesse and I need a third to take on these triple battle enthusiasts.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at them. “You game?”

Xoana threw up her fist. “Hell yeah!”

Aisling laughed and Xoana followed her across the court to the biggest battlefield. She was glad to see her smiling and strutting instead of glaring daggers at everyone with her hands stuffed in her pockets. The combination of thrashing dandies and taking their money was was tough to resist.

“I thought I was gonna be out for months after Illumis but I won it all back already!”

Serena was waiting for them, chatting politely with a trio of young “barons”.

“Triple battles can get pretty chaotic for first timers,” said one of them, as if they hadn’t seen her ace her first one barely a half hour ago. “And strategy can get really complex, so it’s not for everyone, but that’s part of what makes it fun.”

“Haha. Yes. I’m sure that’s true,” said Serena with her fakest smile. “Let’s begin, shall we?”

“Sure.” 

The trio headed back to their end of the field and Serena turned to Aisling and Xoana. “We have to destroy them.”

“Aye aye, Comtesse,” said Aisling with a salute. 

“Thanks for talking to them for us.” Xoana shivered for emphasis. 

“It’s fine. You’re about to pay me back.” The way the corner of Serena’s mouth quirked upward in a lopsided smile made Xoana’s heart skip a beat. Maybe she was a terrible person for thinking this, but Serena was never hotter than when she was about to serve unrelenting justice to some deserving rogue. Sometimes it was hard to stand next to that kind of radiance, but when she was confident in her friend’s success, it was impossible not to live up to it. 

Serena sent in Laurent and Aisling sent in Íde. They sized each other up until Sprout trundled forward to stand between them, nodding to each. Laurent acknowledged him with a smile and Íde with a sweep of her tail. The three squared off against the Clauncher, Ralts, and Psyduck on the other end of the field.

Everyone called their opening moves at once and all six pokemon sprang into action. Predictably, the two water-types went right for Íde, but Sprout snagged the Clauncher’s big claw and knocked it’s Water Gun into its teammate’s, disrupting both streams and allowing Íde dodge away inscathed. The Ralts sent a Confusion at Sprout and Xoana braced for the super-effective move, but Laurent jumped in front of it, withdrawing and receiving the attack with the back of his shell.

There was no time for thanks as the Clauncher seised Sprout’s vine with Vice Grip and he growled from the pain.

“Vine Whip! Thrash him!” Xoana called.

Sprout’s vines glowed as he flung the Clauncher back and forth, smacking it into the turf. Íde torched the Ralts to keep it off Sprout while he was occupied until the Psyduck doused her. Laurent rushed in and smacked its beak aside with Tail Whip, which freed Íde race around and take a swipe at the Ralts. Her claws went through empty air as the pokemon teleported behind her and struck her in the back with Disarming Voice. The pink waves combined with her momentum knocked the charmander off her feet and Laurent tottered from a close quarters Confusion.

Sprout flung the Clauncher off, which meant he was down.

“Grab both!”

Both vines shot out and found their marks, wrapping around the Ralts’s arm and Psyduck’s leg. Before the Ralts could teleport, Íde smacked it with her tail flame, ruining its concentration long enough for her to stand up. The Psyduck slashed at his vines with Fury Swipes, but Sprout dug in and he concentrated on pulling the Ralts off balance long enough for Íde to land a Scratch. The Ralts fell and Laurent shook his head clear and charged the Psyduck at full tilt, bearing it to the ground a moment later.

The opposing pokemon were withdrawn, leaving the victors facing each other and panting. Xoana looked to either side to see Serena and Aisling were as winded as she was before the middle of the field was consumed by a flash of light and stirring breeze. All three pokemon emerged larger and fiercer with matching smiles on their faces.

Sprout turned back to her. “I doubted you for a moment there, but that was worth it.” He shook his leaves and flower bud out with a satisfied sigh.

“I can’t believe it! You were incredible, Sprout!” Beside her the others were offering their own pokemon similar congratulations. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“No problem.”

“That was awesome!” Serena yelled, practically tackling her.

“You said it, Comtesse.”

A crowd was starting to form around them—unsurprisingly the triple evolution had garnered quite a bit of attention—but Xoana couldn’t be bothered to care. She high-fived Aisling and Serena and they let her put her arms around their shoulders like last night, only this time they shared a look with each other and lifted her between them. Xoana went bright red immediately and laughed. They turned her in a circle so that she could wave to all the other patrons, many of whom applauded. Sprout and Laurent congratulated each other beneath her and Íde looked genuinely happy for the first time.

They left not long after, all having attained Vicomtesse except for Tracie who was determined to stay Baronne forever.

…

They winded up taking the south fork through Connecting Cave towards Roche-sur-Gliffe instead of Relifac-le-Haut. They were unquestionably ready for their next badge after all the evolutions at the Battle Chateau, but Tracie wanted to visit Glittering Cave and there wasn’t much chance they’d make it that far south if they didn’t detour now. 

Asking about it really got Tracie talking and Aisling kept prompting her. Sometimes it was easier to chat with Serena than to draw even one word out of Tracie, so Aisling wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity. Nor did she miss Xoana and Tierney’s appreciative smiles. Besides, she had heard of Glittering Cave but didn’t know much about it.

Aisling had to admit that it sounded cool—at least more interesting than this Connecting Cave, or what they could see of it by the light of Íde and Félicité’s flames. Especially because Íde would dart off to start a fight with every wild pokemon they came across. Diligent Félicité did not approve, much like her trainer, but Aisling wasn’t complaining. The ambitious little shit was practically training herself. Her newly acquired Dragon Rage could already lay out most of the wilds they came across in one hit.

At last they found the exit and spilled out onto the cliffs. The ocean and Roche-sur-Gliffe were far below down a winding switchback trail. Unlike the country they’d been through up to this point, the cliffs were wild. There was no farms nor buildings upon them, and the roads went through the valley farther north. It seemed a harsh sort of place, tenuous, but the pokemon flourished. Aisling could see the appeal. The sea breeze was delicious after stale cave air and the views incredible. It was a clear day with a far horizon. Sails went two and fro in the bay below and birds coasted on the wind. Aisling spread her hands to feel the updraft for herself. And glimpsed Xoana watching out of the corner of her eye.

They all decided to train for a bit after lunch, or at least run through some exercises. Despite the call of the waves, there was something very appealing about staying up here. 

Aisling paired off her team for practice: Gobán with Finley for the Dunsparce to work on maneuvers while the Vespiquen got better control over her hive, Íde paired with Maeve so that the Charmeleon might teach the Croagunk a proper follow-through. She pulled aside Bree and Honora to work with personally.

“Now that you’ve seen each other battle a bit and you have your own moves down, I want to work on combinations.” It was difficult to discern any reaction from Honora—she might not even fully understand—but Bree was eager as always and Aisling trusted her to fill in the gaps. “Let’s start with something basic and work our way up. Bree, I want you to use your Pin Missile to drive opponents back and Honora will flank them with Pursuit. We’ll call it _No Retreat_.” 

Bree undershot the first time and overshot the second, dinging Honora a bit. 

“Sorry! Sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Bree called as the Honedge rubbed at her blade with cloth fingers.

“It’s alright, Bree. It’s tough to aim with your back turned but we really need all the quills for this. Just keep practicing.”

They went through a few more times and Honora only had to pluck one or two quills from her tassel. Bree of course offered to help her, but the Honedge was stubborn about it and shooed her away.

Next Aisling had them do a Shadow Sneak/Needle arm combo she dubbed _Quill Trap_ where Honora was supposed to scare/knock the victim into Bree’s attack. Honora hung back a little, clearly reticent to get within range even with her resistance to plant-type. Bree paused to swing her arm slowly a few times to reassure her and give her a better idea of the spacing.

“Now, I think we could get a lot more power behind Honora’s Fury Cutter and Aerial Ace if you throw your weight behind it, Bree. Just be careful to grab her by the hilt.”

Bree nodded seriously then bounded over and seized Honora’s grip. Before she could swing, the Honedge let out a high metallic sound and grabbed at Bree’s arm, eye glowing lavender rather than blade glowing green. Hopefully this startling would wear off with a bit of practice.

“Ouch! I’m sorry!” Bree yelped, letting go. “I should have warned you, I thought you heard—”

“Íde **stop!** ” Serena yelled over Bree’s apology. 

The Charmeleon was advancing on some poor Inkay, dripping with blue blood from her first attack, while Maeve peeked nervously through her fingers behind Íde. She ignored Serena and slashed again, which the wild pokemon narrowly avoided. This would be over soon.

Serena threw a pokeball and the Inkay disappeared inside. Íde watched it rock and then still. She turned away with a snort. Serena ran to pick up her ball and let the Inkay out. She sprayed it down with a potion before grabbing some gauze out of her bag to mop up the blood, muttering assurances all the while.

“That little thing going to make it?” Aisling asked her.

“Yes, no thanks to you! Control your pokemon! That Charmeleon may as well be wild!”

“She’s fine. She doesn’t do that in trainer battles. She was probably just hungry and you stole her lunch.”

“She already ate with the rest of us! She’s not hunting, she’s just killing.” Aisling snorted and Serena stood, back straightening to get as close to Aisling’s height as possible. “And I’m not so sure she is safe for battles. She just evolved. She’s got no idea how strong she is. You have to hold her back.”

“I do not and I will not.”

Serena stared at her for a moment, lips parting in disbelief before her brow furrowed in outrage. “That’s part of being a trainer!”

“ _Being a trainer_ is helping pokemon realize their full potential, push past their limits to become the strongest they can be.”

“But—”

“Control is part of that. There has to be intent and purpose or it doesn’t mean anything. Íde has that. She wants to be stronger. That’s why she’s always pushing herself. And that’s the best thing a trainer can ask for. So no, I’m not gonna hold her back.”

Íde was looking up at her, expression far softer than Aisling had ever seen it before.

“You can’t just let her run around doing whatever she wants!”

“Íde, why were you attacking that Inkay?”

“Snuck up,” said the Charmeleon and for the first time Aisling didn’t need Bree to translate. “Did as asked… Inkay attacked Maeve… Still hungry.”

Aisling glanced at Maeve, who nodded in confirmation. She was rubbing her hands up and down the sides of her head like she had at the Battle Chateau when everyone was looking at her.

“Thank you for defending your teammate, Íde, but maybe just scare the wilds off next time. And you can tell me if I’m not feeding you enough or you want to hunt.” 

Íde nodded. 

“Tell her she’s not allowed to hurt my pokemon.”

Aisling rolled her eyes. “The Inkay is Serena’s now, so she’s off limits.” 

Íde nodded again but blew steam out of her nostrils. “Should thank… I weakened.” 

Aisling tried not to smile at that and instead spoke to the Inkay peeking out from behind Serena. “Sorry about that. She won’t attack you again.”

The Inkay swam up to Serena’s head just to be sure and Serena scowled.

“Happy, Comtesse?”

She growled and Aisling turned away.

“Battle me.”

Aisling turned back. She took in Serena’s clenched fists, tight lips and lowered brows. She should have seen this coming.

“Sure. Wanna do a double battle this time? Keep things interesting?”

Serena’s face twitched. “Fine.”

She sent in Laurent and Félicité. It might not be the best idea, but Aisling was itching to put the tactics she’d been working on into practice. And to hell with Serena’s expectations. She left Íde on the sidelines and sent in Bree and Honora.

Félicité opened with an Ember just as Aisling was expecting. Bree rushed in, shielding her face with her arm while Honora dodged under it, becoming nothing but a patch of shadow on the ground. She came up behind Félicité and slashed her across the back just as Bree closed in front. The Braxien staggered and Bree knocked her to the ground. 

Laurent leapt to her defence, closing his dark jaws around Honora’s tassel in a powerful Bite. Honora cried out and Bree threw him off with Needle Arm. By then Félicité was up and Bree shot off a full broadside Pin Missile at her. Félicité burned most of it up, but it let Bree and Honora get a little distance on her.

Honora went for Pursuit and got doused by Laurent’s Water Gun. Bree grabbed Laurent with Vine Whip and flung him at Félicité but she leapt out of the way, which meant Honora got hit with the Wartortle instead.

_No Retreat_ was the only option left and Honora righted herself just in time to slash Félicité across the back. Fire erupted around her and Bree had to change course so as not to be caught in the Fire Spin. Honora fled in the same direction but as soon as Félicité recovered, there would be nowhere to run.

“Aerial Ace!”

Honora’s blade glowed soft, light blue as she gathered magic and Bree grabbed her hilt to wield her. The Honedge flailed in alarm and the strike went wide. She pulled Bree right off her feet and Félicité wound the Fire Spin around her with a twirl of her wand. Laurent raised his head enough to Water Gun the retreating Honedge. She tumbled out of the air and sliced into the turf. Bree tried to go to her aid but succumbed to the Fire Spin before she could make it.

Félicité put out her fire. Serena had won.

Serena blinked like she couldn’t quite believe it. Aisling could see her chest rising and falling from across the battlefield. She’d fought hard for it. Aisling had underestimated her—not her ability, she knew that well, but her drive. She meant what she’d said. She hadn’t just been picking a fight. Maybe Aisling shouldn’t have gambled with her honor or whatever was on the line. 

Then again, maybe she didn’t care too much what Serena thought of her. She would come around like the others or she wouldn’t.

Aisling went to her pokemon and sprayed Bree with a potion. She tottered to her feet and went to pull Honora out of the ground but she waved both of them away insistently and wrested herself free in a few tries.

Aisling was lucky Bree was so easy-going because this one was stubborn. She seemed to prefer to do things herself, but maybe she just wasn’t used to being part of a team yet. And what pokemon could get to know Bree and not like her?

Serena approached and offered her hand. “Good battle, Queen. That was was almost as close as last time.” What a fucker. Aisling made a mental note to never let her win again.

“My Queen!” Tierney called urgently from further down the trail.

Aisling and her team went running as Tierney’s voice worked up to an ever more alarmed register culminating in panicked “Force Palm, Laoch!”

Aisling skidded around the corner to find Íde and a large, battle-scarred Zangoose—both bloodied and collapsed on the turf with Tierney and her team standing over them.

“ _Íde!_ ” She hadn’t even noticed her slip away.

The Charmeleon’s claws twitched and she let out a choked growl. Aisling was already on her knees digging a potion and some gauze out of her bag.

“ _Yveltal’s wings_ ,” Serena swore behind her.

She tried to sit up before Aisling had even cleaned all the blood off her, tail flame flaring briefly, but trembled and collapsed again. She glared at Laoch.

“Shouldn’t have… I had it,” she growled at him.

Laoch huffed and sauntered back to Tierney's side.

“Yeah, we can see that.” Aisling wanted to be scolding, but the relief made her voice teasing. “What were you even doing down here?”

“Didn’t send me in,” Íde grumbled back. “Found another battle.”

Aisling sighed. “We’re gonna have to work on your patience.”

Íde’s eyes fell closed and her breathing stopped. Aisling shook her.

“Don’t sleep! You’re not out of the woods yet.”

Aisling looked back up the way they had come and down at the long switchback they had yet to go. They were still too far out. Her heart skipped in panic but Serena’s voice cut through the fog that descended over her head.

“We need an emergency transport.” But it wasn’t a call to action. She was already on her holocaster talking to a responder. “A badly injured middleweight Charmeleon. Not a fall—blood loss and magic exhaustion. Yes. Just below Connecting Cave. Yes. I can have my Braixen signal.”

Aisling concentrated on keeping Íde conscious and stropping the bleeding while Serena continued to talk. Xoana and Tracie came running up and Aisling let Tierney explain. She couldn’t focus on any of it, but it helped just to hear Xoana’s voice and watch her patch up the wild Zangoose.

It felt like an eternity, but it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes before an enormous Pelipper came winging towards them. Its keen eyes fixed on Félicité’s waving flame and it arrowed down across the wind towards them. Aisling caught the Zydegrade Ranger sigil on its chest pack as it landed.

Serena helped her lift a grumbling Íde and place her in the Pelipper’s pouch. Serena made sure that her burning tail tip hung out the side of its beak before it ran to the cliff and leapt off the edge. Aisling followed as far as she could and watched them plummet before the Pelipper opened its long wings and rocketed towards Roche-sur-Gliffe, wingtips leaving vapor trails against the headwind.

“I can run ahead if—” Aisling began.

“We’re coming with you!” Xoana cut her off.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Serena.

They gathered themselves and followed the switchback, jogging all the way down the cliffs to the bottom.

…

Aisling returned to the couches in the lobby and everyone’s anxious faces. Xoana broke before Aisling could even open her mouth.

“How is she?”

“She’s fine. All good. They’re gonna keep her overnight for observation.”

There was a collective sigh of relief. Bree drooped over the arm of a couch. Aisling had to wonder if she had been worried for her or Íde. She realized she still had the little black box from the receptionist in her hand and tried to nonchalantly slip it into her pocket without anyone noticing, but Xoana’s eyes caught it. 

“Wanna check into the hotel and order room service?” She was an actual goddess.

“Yes,” Aisling answered, shoulders sagging in relief. “I should call my mam first but I’ll meet you there.”

They picked themselves up off the couches and started to leave but then Xoana turned and raced back. She threw her arms around Aisling’s middle and hugged her tight. Aisling wrapped her arms around Xoana’s shoulders and melted into it like a Grimer. She let out a long sigh into Xoana’s twists. She couldn’t help it.

It had already been too long by the time she made herself let go. Xoana’s face was flushed when she pulled back and she smiled. Aisling smiled back. They didn’t say anything else, but Xoana waved from the doorway.

Aisling almost headed outside for her call, but there weren’t many people in the lobby and she needed the couch. Bree climbed up next to her and Gobán curled in her lap. Aisling patted the seat on the other side and Maeve hopped up. Finley landed on the back and Honora hovered by her shoulder, stroking her scabbard. Aisling wondered if the pokemart here stocked metal pokemon supplies. Her blade probably needed tending after today.

Her mother answered right away. “How’s my big-shot trainer doing?”

“Tell us all the details!” Cínaed chirped from her shoulder.

Bree waved excitedly and Aisling smiled at the faces floating above her holocaster. The projector always gave them a slightly silvery sheen. “Could ya step outside? I wanna talk ta Raleigh too.”

Cínaed took off and flew out of the beam and Grace walked them outside and sat down next to Raleigh, laying a pale, freckled arm across the Rhyhorn’s dark slate head and Cínaed landed between his eyes.

“What’s the news?” Raleigh rumbled.

“Well, first off I gotta do something about the feathers because not wearing them’s been wreaking all havoc. Íde took off today and got in a real dust-up with a monster Zangoose—just and absolute ranger of a brawl.”

“Maybe that’ll be good for her,” Cínaed muttered.

“Oh hush you,” Grace admonished.

“She’s pretty cut up but she’ll be fine. Oh, and I can understand her a bit now. Cínaed’s right, but she’s my kind of hellraiser.” 

They all chuckled but as soon as that petered out, she found her hand resting on the box in her pocket. She drew it out carefully and considered the velvety exterior for a moment. 

“Oh, uh, Dáire’s sapphire came in today. It’s lovely. I like the cut I went with.”

“Are you going to wear it?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t decided how yet.”

“It’ll come to ya”

“Anyhow, we wound up heading a bit south and we’re going across Route 9 tomorrow. So I was wondering if ya wanted to stretch yer legs, Raleigh?”

“Showing off for your friends?” her mother teased.

“Just looking to shake the rust.”

“I’m in!” Raleigh cut across, nearly throwing Grace’s arm off as his head snapped up. “Are the other trainers renting? I’m gonna show those sorry excuses for Rhyhorn how it’s done!”

Aisling grinned and Cinaed tittered.

“I’ll send your good racing tack, alanna.”

“Thanks, mam!”

…

Aisling knocked and Xoana must have been waiting by the door because she opened it almost immediately.

“Come in! We got a whole spread!”

They were all crammed in Xoana, Serena and Aisling’s suite and there was food piled all over the little table on the balcony.

“You’re the _best_.” Aisling almost went to sit down in one of the little chairs, but she paused. “Sorry about today.”

“It’s nothing,” Xoana assured her. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about us, Queen,” said Tierney.

“Well, thanks anyway—for all of it.”

They were all quiet and Aisling braved a glance at Serena.

She sighed. “Prof. Sycamore really _undersold_ that Charmeleon. I don’t envy you.”

Aisling smiled a little lopsided. “I don’t envy me either. At least not yet.”

Serena’s lips twitched.

Aisling strolled over to the table and started piling food on a plate and the others hopped up to join her. She took Tierney’s seat on the couch which she jokingly griped about. And Aisling knew she didn’t mean it because sitting next to Tracie apparently meant getting some of one’s food stolen, specifically Clawncher puffs.

After dinner they all piled onto the beds to watch a movie and Aisling pulled out Cináed’s feathers to see if she could figure out a way to wear them. She twirled one between her fingers, wondering if there was a good way to attach them to her hair band that wouldn’t risk losing them.

“I could turn those into earrings, if you like.” 

Xoana’s voice pulled her back to herself and she lowered the feather, almost trying to hide it in her lap before realizing how silly it was. She looked up into Xoana’s sympathetic eyes and kind ernest and they told her it wasn’t silly. 

“I’d like that a lot.”

“Great! I’m pretty sure I have all my jewelry supplies in my vapor box, hold on.” She slipped off the bed to go get it and Aisling wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do it right now, but she didn’t have the heart for it after today. So she let Xoana settle on the floor in front of the bed and spread out her kit and take the feathers ever so carefully. She pretended to watch the movie, but mostly watched her work.

An hour later they were finished and she handed them up, looking nervous, egar and proud all at once. Aisling examined the lovely arrangement of the feathers in their silver fittings and the string of black and red crystal beads.

“You’ve got such an eye for these things. They’re gorgeous. You’ll let me know if there’s anything I can do for you, yeah?”

Xoana swallowed and flushed, nodding stiffly as she turned away to look at the screen. But she did glance back over her shoulder when Tierney cajoled Aisling to try them on. 

This would certainly do better and Asiling felt lighter, but something was still missing. She found it as she stowed the earrings she had just removed in her pocket. She took out the black box and held it in her hands, chewing her lip to work up the courage before Xoana finished packing up her kit.

“Xoana, do you have anything on hand so I could wear this?” She passed the box down and Xoana opened it carefully. “It’s okay if you don’t or it’s not that nice. Just something temporary. I was gonna take it to a jeweler.”

“I could put it in a stud.”

“Perfect. You’re amazing, you know that?”

She giggled. “I try.”

“Ya succeed.”

Xoana turned back to her supplies, ears burning.

“Just wait until you see those in the light,” said Serena, gesturing at the feather earrings.

Aisling could see the edge of Xoana’s smile even as she faced away.

By the time the movie was over the stud was finished and Aisling was ready for a shower. Tracie and Tierney repaired to their room and Aisling collapsed on the couch as soon as she got out, insisting that Xoana and Serena take the beds.

It might have taken her a while to get to sleep if not for Gobán slithering onto her chest and yawning into her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this chapter turned out at least twice as long as usual, but I’m confident in my decision to keep it together. I’m a lot more interested in having a cohesive theme throughout a chapter than having them be the same length. And I’m so happy to finally be digging into some of the threads that make up this one. Serena being correct and having virtues is very much overdue. I love all the twists, turns and developments her relationship with Aisling goes through in this part and I almost can’t believe it’s coming out like I want it to. Wild.
> 
> I had a lot of evolutions happen in and around the Battle Chateau and this seemed like a tidy way to handle them. Emer went through such a huge jump in strength the minute she learned a physical move. Bless the Azumarril buff, amen. Honestly, almost the whole team became super buff very rapidly, which made catching up Honora a bit frustrating. But I love Honedge so it had to be done.
> 
> Team Aisling:  
> 
> 
> Team Xoana:  
> 
> 
> Team Serena:  
> 
> 
> Team Tierney:  
> 
> 
> Team Tracie:  
> 
> 
> Graveyard:  
> 


	10. You Either Follow Or You Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the girl gang goes for a trail ride and stumbles across a criminal conspiracy and an irresponsible amount of power. Shenanigans ensue.

The cliffs of Route 9 were very different than yesterday’s. Rather than greenery, there was bare rock, rough gravel, and dry patches of sand. Everything Xoana could see was littered with stones and boulders from regular rockfall. The cliffsides were also steeper, almost sheer but for one uneven track and warmed by strong, near constant sunlight throughout the day. Picturesque lowlands sprawled southward from their base, forests to the east, and sandy shores lining jewel-bright ocean to the west. It was a vista that didn’t translate well to photographs but was breathtaking in person. The parched earth beneath her feet trembled and she turned to see what was coming.

Xoana should have known that when Aisling said she would meet them at the rental coral, she meant to arrive astride her own Rhyhorn in bright, sparkling, head-to-toe racing regalia. She was almost as armored as her pokemon and her locks were in a tail that stuck out of a slit in the back of her turquoise helmet. Her shoulder pads were a golden yellow to match her chaps and the rest was cream trimmed with turquoise and covered in knotted silver embroidery that caught the light. She dismounted in one graceful movement and strode over to Xoana as with her helmet under her arm. Up close, Xoana rather liked the design of the gear. Many of the guards sported lines similar to Rhyhorn plates, and the helmet even had a little horn above the reflective visor and a slight frill at the back.

“Did the Comtesse put jeans on after I left?”

“Spandex under a skirt.”

Aisling whistled long and low, then tittered, which made her sound just like Cináed. Perhaps he’d said the same of her follies. “You look good in jeans,” she added.

That wasn’t allowed! Xoana couldn’t even muster a compliment in reply. She just turned red.

“You ever ride?”

“No and not Tierney either. Tracie and Serena have ridden Rapidash before.”

“I’ll walk you through it then.”

Aisling positioned herself next to Xoana’s Rhyhorn, bending at the waist, and held her laced fingers a little below knee height. It took Xoana a rather embarrassing number of seconds to realize she was offering to help her up. She stepped into Aisling’s hands and Aisling hoisted her easily. She slid awkwardly into the seat and Aisling guided her boot into the stirrup before running around to the other side for the left one.

“Here are your handles,” she said, pointing them out. “You can sit back since this is a trail ride, but if it ever gets to rough I want you to stand in the stirrups and grip with your knees.”

Xoana tried it.

“Good. Lean forward a bit, weight through your heels. Find the balance. There!”

“Floette’s petals, this must really work your core.”

“Exactly,” said Aisling in a tone she couldn’t identify and then she winked.

Xoana’s blush returned in force and Aisling’s eyes lingered on her probably just long enough to notice before she went to help Tierney.

When everyone else was aboard, Aisling attached her helmet to the back of her saddle and hopped up herself. Somehow she got her foot up to Raleigh’s stirrup, stood, and swung her other leg in a graceful arc over the Rhyhorn’s back all the while making it look easy and effortless.

“Let’s rock and ride!”

Raleigh charged east and the ride Rhyhorn followed. Xoana’s mount didn’t have quite the same acceleration, but it was remarkable how much faster it felt than a car. She tried standing the way Aisling had shown her, so as not to bounce around. At first it was frightening—felt as exposed as the smooth rock flying past her—but she gripped with her knees and settled her weight in the stirrups and suddenly it all fell into place. She stopped looking down and focused on what was ahead. Her hair blew back, clearing her vision, and her heart pounded with the pokemon’s footfalls. She was rider rather than passenger. 

She felt light but powerful. It was a soaring feeling but too bone deep to be a dream. She urged her Rhyhorn forward he obliged her, catching up to Raleigh.

Aisling greeted them with wide eyes and her broadest smile. “You look right natural up there, Marquis!” she shouted across the distance.

Xoana could tell from the way Aisling was riding that she probably wasn’t doing it right, but that didn’t even matter. It felt right. And maybe that’s what Aisling meant. Grace had always made it sound like one of the best experiences in the world, an ecstasy of feeling that defied description, something that couldn’t possibly live up to all the hype. Yet even her younger self—scribbling Rhyhorn names in notebook margins and testing uniform color schemes on papers strewn about the floor—couldn’t find a shred of disappointment. 

This might have been the moment to mention that she used to be a fan of Grace… had she thought she could ride and hold a conversation at the same time.

Soon enough they came to an obstacle too large for the Rhyhorn to go over and Xoana was grateful for the chance to rest. They had been instructed at the ride rental to dismount and wait for the pokemon to clear it themselves, but this advice didn’t apply to Aisling. She strapped her helmet on and urged Raleigh forward with a cry.

The ground shook as they charged, gathering speed until just before impact. Raleigh lowered his head and split the boulders asunder. Debris went flying and they kept plowing through as if it were a snowdrift and not a jumble of stones. Dust began to obscure Xoana’s view, but before long they came stomping back through the cloud, crushing some of the remaining rocks underfoot. Aisling sat straight-backed and tall in the saddle and Raleigh’s lips curved upward with smug satisfaction. 

And that was only the beginning. Xoana and the others proceeded at a relaxed pace more suited to their overall inexperience, while the pair of pros continued to break boulders, charge across straightaways, drift around corners, and generally frolic about the open spaces—at once playful and powerful. Tierney whooped, which only encouraged them, while Serena quietly steamed. With anyone else that ire might have felt deserved, but Aisling was having so much fun, looked so _right_ , it was hard for Xoana to feel anything other than privileged to bear witness. 

Aisling never left them behind either, circling back periodically and pushing up her visor to explain this and that about racing. Despite her childhood fascination, Xoana was surprised by how much there was to know and gulped it down faster than the bottle of water she’d brought with her. Xoana wondered that she’d given it up with how readily she harped on all the ins and outs—how brightly Grace reflected in her energy and laughter. But then again, maybe she hadn’t given up riding. Maybe she was just giving one of her other passions a go for a while.

“I’m glad you’re having fun, Marquis. I could take you out again sometime, if you’d like.”

Xoana’s brain barely has time to process, let alone form a response before Serena and her Rhyhorn broke away from the herd to do a few of the same maneuvers. Aisling and Raleigh more or less ignored her at first, but eventually they pulled up and Aisling called out to them.

“As much as I’d like to give you a real lesson, Comtesse, you don’t have the tack for it!” Serena pretended not to hear this, which was fair, but as she and her ride continued to dash about, something closer to concern than amusement began to seep into Aisling’s features. “I empt kiddin’ ya now! _As ucht Dé!_ Ya shoudn’t be doin’ that in denim, nevermind a skirt!”

Tierney’s head swiveled around at the Gaelic phrase and she added her own pleas to Aisling’s. Xoana piped up too after they got no reaction, but no amount of cajoling or reasoning got through to her. Serena simply insisted that she knew how to ride and continued to put the Rhyhorn and herself through their paces.

…

By the time they arrived at Glittering Cave, Serena was grimacing and damn near fell out of her saddle. From the sound of her gasping breaths and the muttered curses grit out between, she’d already learned her lesson. So Aisling let Xoana go to her and helped Tracie and Tierney down before wandering off a bit to strip her riding gear and give Serena a little space.

She slipped Cináed’s feather earrings back in and checked Raleigh over. They looked out at the farms and fields to the south, lush and green in the warm light of midday.

Aisling wiped her brow. “I didn’t mean to provoke her this time. It was just a bonus.”

Raleigh tossed his head and snorted.

“She’s so stubborn. If I’d known she would—”

“Naw you wouldn’t,” he interrupted, but he wasn’t judging like Cináed might. He leaned into her. “We had fun, didn’t we? Keep your eyes on the track.”

She scratched behind his headplate. “I missed ya too, ya big calf.”

Raleigh knocked her clean off her feet for that impertinence and she latched herself around his head in retaliation. They staggered around heedlessly, wrestling until Xoana interrupted.

“My Queen, would you please help me with the Comtesse?”

“Sure.” Her ass hit the ground but she bounced up quick as always, brushing the dust off her jeans. “She gonna let me?”

“She doesn’t have a choice.” There was something about that tone on Xoana that tickled up her spine. 

Aisling skipped right after her. “Aye aye!”

“I’m fine!” Serena snapped before Aisling could get a single word out, but the delicate way she was perched on her chosen rock said otherwise. She flinched just turning away a bit in disdain.

“Then let me see.”

Serena tugged her skirt down. “No, thank you.”

“Stop being a big baby!” Xoana huffed. It was enough to startle Serena and Aisling from their glaring competition. “We came all the way out here to see the cave and I’m not leaving you to bake all day in this heat! We’re gonna have lunch. Come join us when you’re done.”

With that Xoana stomped off, leaving Aisling and Serena effectively alone. Serena wouldn’t look at her, so Aisling waited in silence.

It didn’t take long.

Serena shifted, sucking a sharp breath between her teeth and closing her eyes. She pulled her skirt partway up and Aisling knelt in front of her to take a look. Deep purple bruising bloomed from beneath her spandex shorts, down her inner thighs to her knees.

Aisling sighed. “Ouch.”

Serena snorted.

“I have something for this, but the shorts gotta come off.”

“No.”

“Your other option is I go get the ranger over there to take you to the hospital.” Aisling jerked her thumb and Serena looked over her shoulder at the distant figure waiting by the cave mouth. 

She grumbled and stood up stiffly, wincing and Aisling turned away to get the meds out of her vapor box. By the time the squat, unmarked jar had materialized out of the wood plate atop the machine, Serena had peeled off her spandex and sat gingerly back down. She stared at the jar of salve in Aisling’s hand with lowered brows.

“Special remedy. My mam made it.” Serena’s eyes narrowed. “I swear on Diádh, this will make you feel a hundred times better.”

That made her take it, though not without reservation. Aisling settled herself into a more solid crouch and pat her thigh. Serena rested her foot atop it as a brace and unscrewed the salve cap, dabbing far too little on her fingers. She wisely put down the jar before reaching up her skirt. Her whole body seized up—Aisling felt the jolt through her leg—and she hissed, forcing down a cry by gripping her knee so tight her knuckles blanched. As soon as she raised her head, she scowled at Aisling.

“What are you mad at me for? I tried to warn you.”

Serena took a deep breath, jaw jutting, and sighed, puffing even more loose hair into her face. “I’m angry with myself,” she muttered.

“Ah, well, I did goad ya a little.” Aisling shrugged. Serena blinked in surprise and tilted her head a little, brow furrowing. It was cute. “I know when I’m being a shit.”

For a few quiet moments she looked everywhere but at Serena, not daring to see if there was shock or vindication written with those incredible eyebrows. Another hiss snapped her back. Serena bit back a whine and withdrew a fist.

“Let me. We’ll be here hours otherwise.”

Serena swept her hair out of her face and held Aisling’s eyes for a moment, then she put the jar in Aisling’s open palm. She scooted closer between Serena’s legs, careful not to jostle the one resting on hers. She scooped out a generous amount of the salve and slid her other hand up the outside of Serena’s thigh to brace it.

“Grit those teeth, Comtesse. This is gonna hurt like hell.” 

Serena jerked her head in acknowledgement, jaw tightening like a vice. 

“I meant that more metaphorically.” Serena opened her eyes and looked at her again. “Swearing helps. The louder the better.”

The twist of Serena’s lips told Aisling she wasn’t sold on it, but she nodded, brows setting resolutely. Aisling smeared the salve all the way from her knee to the seam in one swift stroke. 

“ ** _Fuck!_** ”

And it was earned. Some of the blisters were open already.

Serena slumped and panted shallowly for a few beats until the numbing began to kick in and she gave Aisling the go ahead to treat the other leg.

“ ** _FUCK!_** ”

Birds took to their wings and the Rhyhorn herd raised their heads. Aisling thought she saw the distant ranger startle too.

Serena slumped again, completely boneless this time and her forehead bumped Aisling’s crown. Aisling peeked up through her lashes and it was a mistake because Serena was flushed and her lips were parted and all the lines were gone from her face. Warm breaths fanned over Aisling and she swallowed.

“How did you know that would work?” Serena rasped, voice rough and shallow. She pushed her hair out of her face again and propped herself up on her arms.

Aisling shrugged and turned back to her vapor box. “Eh, I was warned just like you, but I thought riding bareback was really cool.” She pulled out some gel bandages. “I even carved myself up more than once, which I don’t think you’ll be dumb enough to do.” It was worth it to see that little twitch of Serena’s brows at conveyed every meaning of “ _really?_ ” simultaneously.

She let Aisling dress the wounds without further complaint, even given the intimacy of the location, and Aisling didn’t look at her face while she worked to give what little privacy she could afford.

“You’ll need to change these tonight and keep the blisters covered for a few days, then keep up the salve a few days more.” She handed it over. “And wear loose pants for Arceus’s sake.”

She fixed Serena with her most severe glare until she hobbled over to her bag to do as she was bidden.

Aisling waited and they joined the others together. Serena was able to sit down, though gingerly and Xoana flashed Aisling a grateful smile that put warmth in her chest.

Bree chattered over their picnic about how excited she was to see the cave and Maeve nodded along, leaning back on her arms with her legs stretched out languidly in the Quilladin’s shadow. Or at least that seemed to be her excuse for the proximity, as the shade was pretty negligible this close to noon. Íde sprawled in the sun with eyes closed and Emer bounced around with her typical buoyancy, hopping back and forth between Bree and Tessa. Aisling and Xoana caught each other smiling over her running commentary and Aisling held the eye contact, settling her chin on her hand to stare until Xoana kicked her.

The ranger by the entrance reviewed Tracie’s collection licence while his Hippowdon murmured lowly to the gathered pokemon. 

The first tunnel wasn’t much to look at, but by the time it branched into others, the name of the place became very self-explanatory. Most was pale, glittering limestone, illuminated by strings of lights branching across the ceiling while crystals of blue, green, and pink jutted here and there from the walls and floor. Some of the darker corners were lit only with the soft glow of fluorescent lichen, but there was not a scrap of blackness to be found. Stalagmites, stalactites, and pillars made even the open spaces tangled—midway between a cathedral and the aimless back alleys she’d wandered through in Illumis. Aisling began to understand the truth in her mother’s tales about people following Carbink down through the sídhe into the Otherworld. Most never returned, falling prey to the dynamaxed pokemon who guarded the entrances, and those that did return were different. This shimmering maze of tunnels honeycombing under the mountains was no Tír na nÓg, but it would be just as easy to get lost in if not for the arrows between the lights pointing to the exit.

They fanned out for a while to search for fossils and just poke around a bit. Soon Aisling lost sight of even Xoana, but she could still hear the voices of her friends echoing indistinctly through the chill air as she admired one of the many ancient cave paintings lining the walls. This one was a Helioptile curling around a sunstone to evolve. Honora contemplated it with her, but the rest of the team was more interested in the other sights the cave had to offer. 

“You’re like a _super_ shiny in this light!” Bree marveled, paws on her cheeks and eyes sparkling. 

Maeve startled and Aisling could see her swallow, only belatedly managing a croak in response. Bree giggled and scampered off after the next thing that caught her eye. Maeve stared after her, vocal sacs inflating and deflating a few times without a sound escaping.

Aisling patted her head. “Hang in there, Pollywog.”

They went to follow Bree but were soon waylaid by the bright flash of Íde’s flames.

“What are you battling now?” Aisling called, lengthening her stride.

At first Aisling thought it was another cluster of green crystals, but upon closer inspection the object in question was round and smooth. In the ceasefire, it unfurled into a glittering Sandshrew with a pale underbelly and plates like polished aventurine. 

It looked up at her but then Íde growled and it recoiled.

“Oh shove off and leave her be!” said Emer, bounding out of nowhere to the wild’s defence before Aisling could reprimand the Charmeleon herself. Íde snorted steam but Emer mustered water around her tail and Íde looked to Aisling for confirmation. She nodded and Íde backed down.

“Emer!” Xoana’s voice called.

Emer was distracted talking to the Sandshrew so Aisling answered for her. “Over here!”

The Sandshrew had caught sight of Maeve peeking at her around Aisling’s legs and bounded forward excitedly. 

“Is that _another_ shiny?!” Xoana shrilled as she came into view. 

“Seems so.” Aisling couldn’t help but grin. 

“Um, the Sandshrew is asking for our help,” Emer interrupted.

“What?”

“She says there’s a bunch of people in here capturing pokemon—not for training, just as many as they can find.”

“ _What?_ ” Xoana must have thought the understanding hadn’t properly set yet. 

“Sounds like poachers,” said Aisling.

Serena came around the corner, followed by Tierney and Tracie from the other side. Aisling and Xoana conferred with Emer, swapping off trying to explain to the others.

“We’re trainers. We have to help them,” said Serena, all earnest seriousness.

“We don’t know what we’re getting into,” Xoana fretted, wringing her hands, and Aisling nodded emphatically to back her up.

“We should go tell the ranger!” said Tierney.

Aisling was about to agree when Tracie spoke up. “There should be a few stationed inside, but we haven’t seen any…”

There was a beat of silence as that sank in and they all looked at each other, expressions sinking, except for Serena, whose face hardened.

“We have to go.”

“If these guys got the rangers already, then what are we supposed to do about it?” said Aisling, moving to block her. “Vicomtesse is right. We should get out of here and let the authorities deal with it.”

“It will be too late by the time they get here!” Serena squared up to Aisling despite the grimace of pain it cost her.

Xoana was holding herself now, looking absolutely torn, and Tierney bounced from foot to foot.

“What about our pokemon? What about your own safety?” Aisling wasn’t sure when she had gotten close enough to poke Serena in the chest.

Serena took a step back and Félicité stood beside her. “You can tell the ranger, but I’m going in.” Then she turned and started marching off like she wasn’t walking wounded. The Sandshrew scampered ahead to show her the way and Xoana broke a second later.

“Wait! Serena!”

Aisling hesitated, but she couldn’t very well leave now. So she started after them and Tierney and Tracie followed her example. She tried not to focus on their nervous footsteps and murmuring behind her, instead straightening her spine and lengthening her stride, facing firmly forward as her team rallied around her. It would be fine. She had Cináed’s feathers in her ears, her mother’s necklace under her shirt, and Diádh at her back. But she felt the weight of Dáire’s sapphire against the pumping of her blood. 

She fumbled for the leathphingin in her pocket and turned the coin three times between thumb and forefinger for good measure. And no sooner had they caught up to Serena’s hobbling than they all happened upon someone else coming around the bend.

“Steven!” Aisling called and sprang up to him. Her luck was coming through today.

“Bonjour!” he returned brightly. “So nice to see you all again.” He was dressed in hiking clothes, which looked far better on him than they had any right to, and was flanked by an Excadrill and what looked rather like a Sandslash but icy blue with crystalline scales. “Is that a shiny Sandshrew?” he blurted excitedly as she fixed her mouth to ask him about his own pokemon. “I’ve never seen one in person!”

“Mssr Stone, we have a situation,” Serena cut in.

Steven’s _ice-Sandslash?_ held out her silver claws for the shiny Sandshrew to tap with her own while Serena quickly caught him up to speed.

“I see,” he said as she finished, hand to his chin in thought. “I’ll go and stop them. You should head back to the entrance and alert the ranger.”

He turned but Serena caught his arm before he could leave. “You’re not going _alone_.”

“Ser—” Aisling tried to cut across her—the gall after she had tried pulling the same stunt only minutes ago.

“I appreciate the concern,” he said warmly, smiling again and putting his hand over Serena’s, “but I can handle this. Don’t worry.” 

He tried lifting her hand but she gripped his arm tighter, bow setting. “You don’t know that.”

His warm expression cracked a little and Aisling realized this tactic must usually work for him. It took him a few seconds to try something else.

“As a senior member of the Mega Evolution Program and a more experienced trainer, this is my responsibility. Sycamore would be very disappointed if I allowed you or your pokemon to come to harm.”

“All the more reason one of us should go with you.”

“What—” He almost slipped into Anglic but stopped and started over in Kalosi. “You’re all fresh out of lycee. It’s not fair to—”

“You’re only twenty-two,” said Aisling. He scowled at her and the betrayal in the downturn of his lips was honestly adorable. “We’re all eighteen.”

“Seventeen,” Tracie murmured.

“My point is, we’re all adults and it doesn’t make sense for you to go alone to do the dangerous thing while the rest of us go for backup.” Aisling threw Serena a glance and she almost smiled back.

Steven looked like he was biting back several things at once, or maybe just struggling to translate his frustration from his mother tongue. “I have ten badges!” he blurted and immediately his slumping shoulders signaled he knew just how petulant that sounded. His hand flexed and he took a deep breath to compose his next sentence. “We have no time for arguments. Is there anything I can say to convince you not to follow me?”

“No.” Serena crossed her arms.

“Nope!” Aisling agreed. Was it bad that smug and stubborn looked good on Serena when directed at someone else?

Steven looked over their pokemon and sighed. “Fine, but _please_ be careful and let me take the lead at least?”

“Of course!” Serena chirped with satisfaction.

Aisling went a step farther and saluted him. “As you command, Mssr Ten Badges.”

Steven covered his face and turned away, nearly tripping over the Sandshrew as she scuttled forward to guide them. Serena was right behind him but Xoana, who hadn’t said a word the whole time, paused.

“Tracie, Tierney, we’ll be fine with Steven so you two should go together to get the ranger—in case there are any more of them.”

“O-okay,” Tierney stammered, looking simultaneously relieved and fretful. 

“Be careful,” Tracie told them before nudging Tierney away. 

They took off running back towards the entrance and Xoana watched them for a moment. She seemed surprised to find Aisling waiting up for her and smiled.

“Let’s go help those pokemon!”

Aisling couldn’t help but smile back at her sudden determination. She held out her hand and Xoana took it. They caught up quickly but didn’t let go. After a minute of following quietly behind while Steven muttered to himself in Anglic, Aisling interlaced their fingers.

“It must be so nice to be on the same team as your lover!” Emer chirruped as she bounced between Steven’s pokemon at the front. The Sandslash and Excadrill nodded. “I’m so happy it worked out for you!”

Aisling and Xoana shared a look and color started rising to Xoana’s cheeks.

“I’ve never met an ice and metal-type before! Your island sounds so cool! I didn’t know some mountains could spit fire! I bet these poacher humans have pokemon of their own, yeah? How many do you think we’ll have to fight?”

Emer continued to chatter on and Íde’s tail flame flared in anticipation. Gobán, Finley, and Honora all seemed at least unbothered if not as eager, but Aisling noticed Maeve trailing at her heel and wringing her hands.

“You alright there, Maeve?”

The Croagunk glanced at Bree bounding confidently ahead of them and nodded.

Aisling tried to stifle a grin. “Stay close if you need to.”

The Sandshrew slowed and they all quieted. There was a lot of commotion ahead and sharp voices. They crept up to the entrance of a cavern, carefully peering out from either side so as not to be too conspicuous. It was difficult to see everything with the uneven floor, pillars and rocky spires, but there were at least a dozen people in plain dark clothes spread throughout. They weren’t matching exactly, certainly they didn’t have uniforms, but each had some small red article like a scarf, hair tie, or pocket square. Clearly it was a big, unified operation even if they were trying to look casual.

Serena and Steven tensed at almost the same moment and Serena looked furious. Aisling followed their gaze and saw three rangers tied to a pillar with their pokemon partners tied up and beaten around them. Blood was oozing from an untended wound on the Exploud’s head, the Fraxure had a broken tusk, and the Swoobat’s wings were torn.

“I’m going to try and sneak around to free the rangers first,” Steven whispered. “The last thing we need to give these people is leverage. Please stay together and stay here until I have their attention.”

Aisling saluted him again and the other two copied her this time. Steven nodded to them and crept out along the wall with his pokemon, keeping low and resting a hand on the pokeballs at his belt. They soon lost sight of him and Aisling was reminded that she was still holding Xoana’s hand by her grip tightening. Aisling squeezed back and waited.

The Fraxure spotted Steven first and lifted its head to tap its partner’s boot. A glint signalled Steven’s Sandslash cutting the rangers’ bindings. She freed the Swoobat and Fraxure without detection, but there was no way to get to the Exploud without covering a short distance of open space. 

A Houndoom howled and all hell broke loose. The cavern erupted in yelling and pounding footsteps. Steven’s Excadrill dove to block a Flamethrower aimed at his Sandslash. Steven planted himself between the injured pokemon and all those now running to their location as the rest of his team spilled from their balls. His shiny Metagross, Bessemer, was dazzling in the refracted light and his Skarmory was quite the sight as well with her polished armor and crimson plumage. He also had an Aegislash, who Honora crept out a little farther to get a better look at. The last was a Bastidon who lowered its hugely broad, frilled head and plowed right into the attacking pokemon. Aisling had scant seconds to admire the raw power and efficiency with which they repelled the first wave before Serena was yelling and charging in as well. 

Xoana pulled her forward a step before letting go to catch Serena, but she may as well have kept her hold for all the distance Aisling was ready to allow. 

“Stay right behind me, Sandshrew!” Emer called as she bounded between them. Aisling should have had her in a ball already but she supposed she could worry about the catch after. 

Bree charged to the front, arms glowing in preparation, while Íde spit an arc of fire to cover them from the right and Félicité conjured more with a wave of her staff to guard the left. 

The projectiles hit first and more than half the charging pokemon were slowed or halted in their tracks. A Houndour and Litleo spilled over under Froabble and Laurent’s jets of water. A Scrafty dropped its skin and tripped from Sprout’s leaves. A Mightyena and Liepard shied away from Íde and Félicité’s streams of fire. Serena’s Inkay, Odette, bowled over a Gulpin with Psybeam. Finley was pelted with a Zubat’s Swift that her hive wasn’t yet big enough to shield her from, but she retaliated with a Slash that sent her attacker reeling to the floor.

Bree was already in the thick of it, knocking away a Poochyena and Diggersby before a Skropi grabbed her by both arms and they began to wrestle back and forth. Its first tail jab glanced off her armor but the next grabbed her ear and she cried out. 

“Go help her, Honora! Quill Trap!”

The Honedge hesitated for a moment before melting into her shadow and speeding across the floor to Bree’s aid. 

“Emer!”

Xoana’s worry ripped Aisling’s head around and she found the Azumarill taking a hard fall for the Sandshrew who had her paws over her face. 

“I got it!” Emer called before she was even up. And indeed it turned out to be premature because while Aisling had Gobán Headbut her assailant away, a Mawile swung its massive jaws at her prone form. 

The Sandshrew leapt to her defence, pouncing on the Mawile and snapping its jaws shut before jumping back off.

“Aqua Tail! Push them back!” Xoana yelled.

Emer sent the Mawile sliding back and completely bowled over a nearby Purloin and Scraggy. The residual splash of water over Sabine’s paws was apparently enough to trigger her frenzied Rage, which was extra terrifying with the remains of Scary Face still trailing around her head as she launched herself at a hapless Electrike. It went down fast, causing her to evolve on the spot. Either her sudden ferocity or the evolution gave her Intimidate a boost because the next closest pokemon cowered away from her. That gave Aisling an idea.

“Íde!” she called. The Charmeleon looked up at her. “Go wild!”

Íde smiled, showing all her dagger teeth, and launched an even brighter column of flame into the opposing side. She was on top of a Goomy and slashing at it before its eyes had time to recover from the flash. A Scrafty came to its aid but Íde tore the extra hide off it and raked the more sensitive skin beneath. The Charmeleon’s bright vermilion scales and uncanny blue eyes were intimidating enough even when her claws and jaws _weren’t_ dripping with the flickering azure and cerise flames of Dragon Rage. And that coupled with the show of power was enough to make both the poachers and their pokemon flee her.

A sudden change in Serena’s pitch drew Aisling’s attention and she saw that Odette was under fire from an Accelgor.

“Ancient Power, Gobán!” The Dunsparce instantly intuited the intended target and the ball of densely swirling energy knocked the Accelgor away. However, some of it also stayed around Gobán, causing her outline to shimmer and glow. The omniboost was a rare side effect, but Aisling had her hand over the four-leaf clovers sown in her jacket and she smiled. “Rollout!”

Gobán’s wings fluttered in excitement before rock encased her and she took off like a tire downhill. Even the mid-sized mons were like bowling pins before her and she ricoshed around the Inkay, sending them tumbling. Serena acknowledged the help with a nod and directed Odette to use Hypnosis on the flying-types swooping overhead, which in turn freed Finley to provide better air support for the rest.

It seemed Froabble had managed to get behind enemy lines and surprise the Litleo and Pansear creeping up on Bree and Honora, which was well because they were struggling enough against the Sneasel they were already battling. Honora was behind Bree’s back paying no mind to the real threat while she tried to land a blow on a Helioptile that was much too fast for her.

“Hack and Slash!” Aisling yelled to them.

Bree spun, grabbing Honora and swinging her around to slice the Sneasel across the chest. For a moment it seemed like the pressure of the situation had helped—Honora’s cloth wrapped around Bree’s arm and the bug-type energy from her blade sent the Sneasel reeling back—but before Bree could swing her back the other way, Honora grabbed one of Bree’s paws and began to pry herself free.

The confusion left them wide open and Aisling yelled a warning. Once again Bree was the one who responded and pulled the Honedge close as she turned away to catch the Sneasel’s Feint Attack across her back. Now it had them pinned and a shimmer of light blue warned of a coming ice move. 

Maeve leapt over Bree and struck the Sneasel across the face with Mud Slap. Her arm frosted over from the Icy Wind, but she slapped the Sneasel with the other, making it stagger, dazed and blinded. Aisling hadn’t even seen the Crogunk leave her side. By this time Bree had disentangled herself from Honora and she knocked the staggering Sneasel off its feet with Rock Smash.

Even as their pokemon spread out a little, Tessa remained almost glued to them, absolutely thrashing anything that came near Xoana and consequently doing and excellent job of guarding Aisling and Serena as well.

Despite a few hiccups, all the fighting together at the Battle Chateau seemed to be paying off in spades, which gave Aisling the breathing room to check how Steven was fairing all on his lonesome. 

It took a moment to locate him because he had not only succeeded in defending his position but was pressing further in with his Skarmory, Sandslash, and Excadrill while his Metagross, Bastiodon, and Aegislash stayed behind to guard the rangers. The myriad fire-types trying to stop him should have been more of an obstacle, or at least alarming, but Steven radiated calm and confidence in both posture and the terse commands she could hear over the general din. The poachers had clearly tried to rally but he was tearing through them. His Skarmory unsteadied them with Spikes and Toxic while the other two used their coordination and impressive spread of move typings to take the upper hand against anything that challenged them. Aisling hadn’t thought he was lying about the badges, but it was something else to see all that power and experience in action.

As she watched, he reached the cache of captured pokemon and began furiously setting them free. If Aisling thought the preceding brawl had been chaotic, it was an orderly, league-sanctioned triple battle compared pandemonium that erupted after. Most of the cavern floor disappeared beneath a flood of fleeing Cubone, Machop, and Dwebble. The air filled with Woobats, Lunatone, and Solrock. In less than a minute the previously bright cavern transformed into a writhing, flickering, and incomprehensible storm.

Xoana yelled for her pokemon and Aisling and Serena followed suit. They gathered around close—even Íde—and Justine let the illusion of a Ninetails melt off her so they would know she was there too. The remustering was timely as the tide of wilds began charging for the main outlet out of the cavern—which they were standing in front of.

The trio’s pokemon readied themselves, but before the wave hit, Steven’s Metagross dropped down in front of them and threw up a silvery barrier. 

_Stay behind me!_ they said in Aisling’s head.

Most of the oncoming pokemon went around, but a pair of charging Rhyhorn and a Kangaskhan slammed into the Iron Defence, shattering it. Bessemer lowered themselves further, digging into the stone floor with metal claws and shielding them with their body. Aisling grabbed Serena, who looked ready to break cover and try to help somehow—and Xoana just because—and pulled them close behind Bessemer. She expected Serena to resist, but she held on and brought her other arm around to keep Xoana between them.

Their guardian groaned at the heat of a Flamethrower and then slid a little from a sideswipe by an Onyx. Aisling began muttering to Diádh under her breath, gripping Xoana and Serena tighter when she felt a sudden surge of wind and light at her back. She glanced over her shoulder only to have to shield her eyes as a bright transformation consumed Bessemer. 

They emerged with twice as many limbs, elongated claws, and golden spikes jutting from their body. A gong-like, metallic resonance shook the cavern and Aisling down to her core. The now Mega-Metagross parted the sea of oncoming pokemon with psychokinesis on a scale that shouldn’t have been possible. They snatched up fleeing poachers as well with casual waves of their arms and kept them suspended and flailing in the air. 

Aisling could do nothing but gape. This was not at all like seeing it on a screen. Her eyes fell on Steven, who was striding back towards them, arms up and flicking his wrists as each consecutive poacher was lifted off their feet, a near perfect mirror of his pokemon. The cavern began to empty as they drew together and the rest of his team drew around them to fend off what remained of the poachers’ pokemon.

“ _Withdraw your pokemon!_ ” Steven and his Metagross boomed together, so that is was both inside and outside Aisling’s head.

The poachers obeyed without much fuss and when their pokemon were contained, Steven and Bessemer gathered them into a pile by joining their hands in front of them. The battered rangers set to lashing them together, and as soon as that was done, the purple glow around them vanished and they sagged and shifted from gravity’s return.

Steven and Bessemer turned to Aisling, Xoana and Serena. “ _Are you alright? Your pokemon?_ ” They all nodded dumbly and Steven closed his eyes and released the transformation. Bessemer returned to their normal form and touched back down.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Steven said with genuine relief. 

_Sorry for sending them all after you_ , said Bessemer. _We usually have more_ Foresight _than that._

“All’s well that ends well, yeah?” Aisling answered with a chuckle.

“That was amazing!” Serena yelled, stars in her eyes.

“Thank you. I suppose we’re starting to get the hang of it, right Bes?” Steven rested a hand on his Metagross’s leg.

_I’d say so._

“Thank you for shielding all of us,” said Xoana.

“Of course! And thank you for your help as well. We probably would have been hurt without the back up.” He fixed his ruffled hair abscently. “There were more than I thought there would be.”

“I, for one, am glad we didn’t charge in there without you,” Aisling told him with a pointed glance at Serena.

“All’s well that ends well,” she parroted back—the cheeky shit.

Steven went to go talk to the rangers and Serena trailed after him, leaving Aisling and Xoana with the pokemon.

“Thanks for that save, Maeve!” Bree trilled. Maeve scratched at the back of her head and choked on a croak when Bree snatched up the hand hanging limply at her side. “How’s your arm? Looks like that Sneasel landed a freeze on you.” Once again Maeve didn’t manage an answer before Bree blew on her arm and started rubbing to warm it, which halted Maeve’s breathing altogether. “Íde, come over here and help us warm this frost, would you?”

The Charmeleon sighed but did as asked and held Maeve’s arm against her chest.

“Aw, it was nothing!” said Emer. “You’re not such a bad battler yourself!”

The shiny Sandshrew hid her face for a moment and Emer grinned up at Aisling, which drew her attention.

“So, you gonna stay and train with us?” The Sandshrew looked to Emer first and then nodded. “Great! I already thought up a name for ya. Welcome to the team, Keeva.” Aisling tossed a ball and the Sandshrew flowed inside.

“That’s seven again,” said Xoana as Aisling let the Sandshrew back out.

“Yeah, but I’ve got the cash for boarding now. And I’m looking at being a career trainer. May as well start beefing up my roster.”

“Then, do you want Emer back?” Aisling really looked at her then. She had one arm behind her back holding onto the other and she rocked onto the balls of her feet. “I know she’s not your ‘aesthetic’ but…”

Aisling thought about taking the easy out, letting the lie stand, but if Xoana was still this nervous about it, maybe she deserved the truth as reassurance. 

“Naw, that was me fibbin ya a little. Emer admitted she liked ya better almost as soon as I could understand her clearly. We talked it all over beforehand. I was just waiting for the right moment.”

A fierce smile with just a hint of rose bloomed across Xoana’s face and Aisling’s heart purred. Xoana swayed in that girlish way of hers, unable to contain her welspring of energy, and her eyes crinkled with mischief.

“Emer told me.”

Aisling went slack jawed and Xoana laughed. Emer snickered from behind Xoana’s knees and Aisling put her hand on her hips, leaning down closer to her level. 

“Why ya little tattltale! I can’t believe you!”

Xoana only laughed more and Emer fell to the ground and rolled around with mirth. Aisling crouched and tickled her making Emer writhe and squeal as Aisling continued to tell her off in Gaeilge. 

Xoana was wiping tears from her eyes when Aisling stood again.

“Happy now?” Xoana nodded vigorously. “Good. You know, you’re a bit more sly than I took you for. You’re full of surprises.”

Xoana was flushed and damn near bouncing in place but she didn’t stammer or Cloyster up this time. “I would have said the same a month ago, but I think I’m starting to figure you out.”

“Is that so? I must be losing my touch.” Xoana nodded and _oh_ , cheeky was a good look on her. “Well, I had you pegged as a born trainer on day one, so I think that counts for something.”

Xoana giggled. “How are those earrings treating you?” Aisling gestured around at their success in answer. “And what about whatever you have in your jacket?” 

“What?” Aisling was quite sure the surprise didn’t show on her face this time, but it did her no good. 

“I saw you reaching in there. What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie!” Xoana laughed. “Let me see!”

Xoana grabbed for her jacket and Aisling pretended to be invested in fending her off so they could wrestle for a bit before finally caving and showing her the lining.

“How did you get so many?” Xoana gasped.

“Found em. Raleigh has a weakness for clover.”

Xoana shook her head. “There really is something up with your luck, isn’t there?”

“But of course. I’m a leanbh ádh after all,” Aisling answered with a smirk before she could even think about it. Xoana blinked in confusion and Aisling’s gut seized painfully. There was no graceful way to take it back. The only defense left to her was not to explain—and like a coward she took it. 

“Finley!” she called, turning away from Xoana’s puzzled expression to where most of her team was huddled. “That was some real ace battling you did today.” The Vespiquen cocked her head and dipped in the air as her wings stopped for a moment. She had always seemed so calm and confident even as a Combee that Aisling hadn’t expected her to be surprised. “It was a lot to ask of you when you’re still so fresh evolved. You’re gonna be a real powerhouse when that colony of yours grows in,” Aisling assured and Finley dipped her head. “You were at a disadvantage to a lot of those mons and you still hardly needed direction. I’m awful grateful to ya.”

It seemed that was just what she needed because her honeycomb abdomen swirled in place and her soft buzz turned to a deep hum. “Glad to help.”

Aisling had always thought of Finley as reserved but perhaps it wasn’t for lack of wanting to be a member of the team. Out of all of them, she probably knew best what she was getting into right from the off. Aisling felt silly for not seeing it sooner. She should really be paying all of them a bit more mind.

“Gobán, you were awesome as always! Slip me some tail!”

The Dunsparce slithered up and spun, slapping Aisling’s outstretched hand with her drill hard enough to sting in her excitement.

“ _We_ were awesome! Emer was a fool for switching teams!” 

“Gobán!” Aisling reprimanded, but she couldn’t quite keep the laugh out of her voice.

As usual Gobán paid the admonition no mind. “You’re gonna be as good as that Metagross’s trainer in no time! I can feel it!”

Aisling couldn’t stop the chuckle. “Thanks! And, Íde, that was a hell of a performance. We would have been in real trouble without ya.” 

The Charmeleon grinned toothily at her and let go of Maeve’s arm. 

“How’s the frostbite?”

Maeve gave a quiet croak and held out her arm. The damage wasn’t bad and Íde had done a good job of warming the limb back to a proper temperature. Aisling rummaged around for a frost heal in her bag and glanced over to see that Xoana was similarly engaged with her own team. 

Maeve clicked in her throat and flexed her arm before having it join the other in rubbing the sides of her head. Immediately some of the tension began to drain from her posture and expression.

“You did really well too. I know this was all very overwhelming and I’m proud of you for jumping in to help your teammate anyway.” Maeve got a bit flustered at that and pulled her hands from her face to knit her fingers together. “That’s another thing: ya seem a bit naturally anxious, but yer also really good at managing it. I think you’re smarter and tougher than you give yourself credit for. And I think if you can stoke that side of yourself a little, it will burn bright enough for everyone to see it.”

Maeve flushed and her cheek sacks stuttered. “Th-th-thank you.”

Aisling smiled again but Maeve glanced over at Bree, who was a little ways off with Honora and some of Aisling’s triumph dimmed. The Quilladin’s posture was curled inward and her paws shuffled uncomfortably while the Honedge loomed over her. Honora floated lower as Aisling watched and murmured more quietly but still insistent. Bree’s ears drooped and she looked down and away.

Aisling was on her feet again almost before she noticed. “Stay here.”

Bree heard her coming and whipped around guiltily. Honora held her ground.

“What seems to be the problem?”

Bree tapped her knuckles together, ears still lowered, but didn’t muster any words past her lips. Honora resonated, tassel flicking. She clearly had a lot to say, but Aisling couldn’t understand it. Bree tapped her knuckles again and glanced up at Honora briefly, then Aisling.

“I’m sorry for how I did in that battle,” she mumbled quietly.

Aisling sighed. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Bree.” Puzzlingly, she didn’t seemed hearted. Maybe she didn’t believe it. “We have some kinks to work out on partner battling, but you’ve been putting in a great effort and you did a great job of defending your teammates out there today. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”

Bree looked up at Honora again and the Honedge’s eye bored into her until gaze fell back to the floor.

Aisling took another breath and tried to give her recalcitrant pokemon the benefit of the doubt. “Honora, I notice you haven’t exactly had the easiest time adjusting.” The Honedge bobbed slowly. “And that’s understandable. You must have spent quite a long time alone before joining us. But this is a _team_ , see? Working with other pokemon is a big part of being a battler. Do you understand?” Honora bobbed again. “So, if you want to keep training with us, you have to be open to that change.” Honora looked at Bree and her tassel swished, but Aisling wasn’t interested in her deflection. “Do you want to be part of this team?”

Honora stalled a bit longer, but Bree only shifted further away and eventually she was forced to bob again on her own. 

“I’m glad. But since this is a bit much for you all at once, how about you step out for a while, take a little quiet time to think? I wouldn’t box you for too long. I just want to get Keeva up to speed and then we can do a rotation.”

Suddenly Bree’s ears were at attention, and she looked rapidly between them, but Honora wasn’t looking to her anymore. Her eye was fixed on Aisling and after a moment, she bowed. Aisling held out her ball and Honora flowed inside. Bree drooped again—even further if possible.

“I’m not sure what she said, but I hope she wasn’t too harsh. I think you did well and I’m very happy with how hard you’ve been trying to get on with her. You’re better than me that way.”

Bree perked up again, but whatever she might have said was interrupted by Steven returning.

“Everything is handled in here. I think it’s time we went back outside.”

Serena limped behind him. “I need to call my aunt.”

Aisling looked her up and down. “Are you sure you’re okay to walk?”

“I’m fine.”

“ _Ser_ ,” Xoana warned

Serena scowled and muttered. “No.”

“Come here then,” Xoana said gentler but still firm and Serena put her arm across Xoana’s shoulders. “My Queen?” 

Aisling stepped up to Serena’s other side and took her other arm so that she was supported between them. Serena snorted but did not otherwise object.

“I cannot believe you caught a third shiny pokemon!” Serena muttered darkly as Steven led them back up through the tunnels, but Aisling couldn’t find it in her heart to be annoyed this time. “Is it really the earrings? I’ve never heard of Fletching feathers as a luck charm before.”

When they emerged, Tierney, Tracie, and the ranger were waiting for them with a trio of their own captured poachers, buried up to their necks in sand by the Hippowdon. Senena limped off to make her call and Xoana was barely through recounting their adventures when more rangers started to arrive and she had to start all over again, albeit in less detail.

By the time all was settled, the sun was going down. Steven fitted his Skarmory with a saddle and helped Serena up into it before turning back to them.

“I’m sorry I can’t offer the rest of you a ride.”

Aisling waved him off. “I already called dibs on the next one.” 

That pulled a chuckle out of him and suddenly he was the Steven she’d met in the labs again, all playfulness and easy composure. “I’ll be sure to remember that. Dibs must be respected.”

“You’re darn right.”

“Tracie, Komatsu found a very good sample earlier and I’d like you to have it.” He fished a knife-like, fossil tooth as long as his fingers out of his bag and offered it to her. She glanced up briefly to check before she took it. “It should be of sufficient quality for a revival and I’ve already made arrangements. You can bring it to Amonistar Labs in Roche-sur-Gliffe when you’re ready to add to your team.”

“Thank you,” said Tracie quietly.

“It’s my pleasure. And the rest of you, if you should ever need an evolutionary stone, please don’t hesitate to ask. It’s the least I can do.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Good. I hope we’ll see each other again soon under more favorable circumstances.” 

With that he bid them farewell and took off with Serena.

The ride back in the setting sun and twilight was stunning. Xoana pointed out the first stars twinkling as they neared the ranch and she brought Raleigh in close to see which constellation she meant. It was Decidueye, the Archer, sighting down her arrow at her target, and a favorable omen if Aisling had ever seen one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not dead! Just sick and lacking the wherewithal to write at my customary capacity. This chapter also turned out to be twice as long as I thought it would be. I knew I needed some words to get through what I had planned but this turned into a CHUNK. The buffer has run dry so suffice to say updates will be a bit more sporadic from now on, though hopefully not as far apart as this chapter and the last one. This also ties up the end of Part Two so whenever I return it will be with Part Three.
> 
> I don't have much to say about the writing of this chapter that I didn't already say at the beginning except that inserting Steven into it and having the girl gang see a mega evolution up close came later on in development. I think it helps with the pacing of what I have planned and I can never resist more Steven after writing him in my first run. I'm also pretty happy with how the trio continues to develop.
> 
> Gameplay wise, this is where I caught Raleigh, so he is in fact based on a catch. Didn't wind up usuing him though which is why he stays in this supporting role. The Serene Grace boosted Ancient Power was a game-changer and Flare was a cakewalk. I just wanted some dramatic tension. And I don't know what to tell you about the shiny. There was something up with this playthrough and I damn near lost my mind when the THIRD shiny showed up. Also I've caught and used a Sandshrew/Sandslash in every nuzlocke I've ever played, so when a SHINY one appeared I realized that Arceus themselves had ordained them as my pokemon. 
> 
> Team Aisling:  
> 
> 
> Team Xoana:  
> 
> 
> Team Serena:  
> 
> 
> Team Tierney:  
> 
> 
> Team Tracie:  
>   
> Graveyard:   
> 


End file.
